


Tryst of Fate

by kissedbydragonfire, kt_anansi



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, All sorts of hurt/comfort, All the lemons are in this lemonade, Angst and Fluff and Sex, Cheating, Everyone likes to swear for Christ's sake, F/M, Garcy fic, I take no responsibility for your feelings, Jealousy, Multiple Orgasms, Mutual Pining, Not pro-lyatt sorry, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay, Physical/domestic/psychological abuse (lyatt), Rated E for sex and crude language, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Smut, Super smut fic, This version of wyatt is a huge dick- and abusive. If you cant separate him from canon- dont read., Wall Sex, abusive and controlling behavior, lemon fic, marriage problems, slight slow burn, so much sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2019-09-25 00:42:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 45,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17111198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissedbydragonfire/pseuds/kissedbydragonfire, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kt_anansi/pseuds/kt_anansi
Summary: Collaboratively written AU where Flynn and Lucy have a torrid affair.  This is our collective gift to our Garcy family.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> We made Flynn married to Emma, because I think we can all agree he would never have cheated on Lorena.

_“One, two, three.”_

_“No peeking!”_

_“Daddy, go hide!”_

_“I will. But Iris, no peeking!”_

_“Okay!” The little girl giggled and put her hands over her eyes.  “One.  Two.  Three.  Four.  Five-Twenty! Ready or not, here I come!”_

_Garcia Flynn watched as his four-year-old daughter, Iris, searched high and low for him (well, really low and lower, considering her height).  He watched as tiny feet scampered back and forth in the dining room. After a minute, the feet settled and a little hand pulled up the table cloth that hid him from his daughter._

_“I found you, Daddy!” she squealed._

_“I am not Daddy.  I’m a monster!  Rawr!”_

_The little girl let out a high-pitched shriek and ran away, as Garcia got up and ran after her.  With ease, the_ six-foot-four _Croatian picked up his tiny daughter and threw her in the air.  As he caught her, he tickled her.  She begged him to_ stop _but continued to giggle._

_“Time for dinner!” Lorena Flynn announced from the kitchen, as Garcia let Iris down and followed her to the kitchen._

The dreams, they came and went. Flynn savored the good and tried to forget the bad.  For the first time in a while, he woke with a smile on his face. He saw his beautiful Iris, then memories of that last day flooded his mind. Lorena called him at work. She was going to drop Iris off at her mom’s and just wanted to know when he’d pick her up. The deafening sound of horns, collision, twisted metal. He didn’t even hear a cry from Lorena or Iris, just “Honey, I gotta-” before the sounds exploded. Everything Garcia loved, everything he protected, was gone in a second. And he wasn’t even there to protect them.

“Lorena! Lorena!” He had screamed. Denise Christopher, his boss at the time, had called 9-1-1 immediately. When Denise and Garcia got to the scene of the accident, the car was twisted, totaled. On the side of the road, four tarps were draped over the deceased, one shorter than the others. That day, Garcia Flynn broke.

“Babe, you’re up early,” Emma said as she walked into the kitchen.

She poured herself coffee, while she stretched out her neck.

“Dreams,” he said simply.

Emma knew she had been a good friend of both his and Lorena’s. When Lorena died, Emma was incredibly supportive. After a year of mourning, and many moments of almost ending it, Emma managed to get Flynn to start going out in public again, to start trying to enjoy life again. It seemed only natural that they would start a relationship, especially since loneliness was the worst part of the depression that he had gone through.  He also knew Lorena never would have wanted him to suffer in such a way.

Emma and Flynn had been married for two years and it had been four years since Lorena died. Maybe he rushed into it, but they wanted the same things (namely security, a comfortable life, and a family) and they had known one another for years. Right now, they were focused on trying for a family. In his heart, Flynn knew no one would ever replace Iris, but he had found the most fulfilling part of life when she was born, and he had to believe his legacy wouldn’t end with a tragedy.

“Are you excited for your appointment today?” Flynn asked with a smile.

“Oh, needles! Yay!” Emma laughed. “The pamphlet said the hormones can cause mood swings so if I get cranky-not my fault!”

“It’ll be worth it,” he said, as he smiled over his coffee cup.

Briefly, he leaned over and kissed Emma on the cheek.

“You are an amazing woman. The fact that you are willing to do this, for me, for _us_.Thank you.”

Emma didn’t respond. She stood there and stared at her mug. She opened and closed her eyes slowly and sighed heavily. 

“What if it doesn’t work?” she asked, not looking at him. “Can we _please_ stop trying then?”

It was a blow to the heart. Flynn knew things were tough, as they tried to conceive. But Emma had never seemed so intent on not trying.

“We can adopt, that is fine,” he said as he smiled.

“Or...,” she ventured, “We can stop.”

“What?”

Flynn's stomach sank.

“Maybe, it’s a sign that we shouldn’t have kids. I mean, with global warming, the water supply issues, the economic challenges...  Maybe, it’s just not worth it. All of it. The world isn’t a good place for a child.”

He wasn’t stupid, he knew what she was doing.

“It is worth it,” he said. “I thought you wanted kids?”

“I did, I just…”  She struggled to make words.  “I don’t know if it’s for me.”

“I swear, I don’t understand...” he said softly.  “Please just go to this appointment. Try-for me, for us.” 

With that, he walked out of the room.

* * *

 For better or for worse. Lucy had made a vow, a solemn promise and she intended to keep it.  But why had it felt like the “for worse” was all she’d had recently?  She knew marriage wouldn’t be easy, especially being a soldier’s wife.  Sure, she had been lonely on Wyatt’s first couple deployments.  It was something she needed to get used to.  And she thought she had.  But now that school had slowed down for the semester, she found herself with way too much free time on her hands. 

Even when Wyatt had been home, he hadn’t truly been there for her.  He was drunk most of the time and she had grown tired of his jealous and controlling behavior.  She was his wife, not his possession.  He did not own her.  It had been the topic of way too many arguments lately, and Lucy was frankly sick of it.  His deployments were usually a source of additional stress for her, but she was relieved he was gone for a while this time.  _Relieved_.  That fact also gave her cause for concern.  She shouldn’t be relieved her husband was gone and in harm’s way.   

They had tried to start a family for quite some time but had been unsuccessful in their endeavors.  At first, it was another stressor in her life, another thing she had failed at, another thing that confirmed she just wasn’t good enough.  And of course, Lucy’s body _had_ to be the problem, as there couldn’t possibly be anything wrong with him.  They didn’t have the money to think about fertility treatments either.  Lucy also felt that it was probably not the right time to have a baby if their marriage already had so many problems.  A baby wouldn’t fix anything.  So now, as she sat in her bathroom and waited for the stick she had just peed on to either turn a plus sign or a negative one, she prayed for the latter.  Sure, a baby would be a huge responsibility.  She felt she was ready for it, but she had begun to wonder if Wyatt truly was.  It felt like an eternity for this test to register.  As she was lost in her own thoughts while she waited, her phone started ringing.  She reached for the phone, which was perched on the sink.  Wyatt.  _Not right now._ Lucy touched the ignore button and proceeded to watch the clock countdown she was focused on at the moment.  Her phone rang a second time.  Wyatt again.  She held the phone in her hand, with one eye glued to the clock, she hit the ignore button one more time.  Wyatt had hounded her recently about her inability to get pregnant.  _How hard is it to get knocked up, Luce?  People do it every day without having planned it and you can’t even manage it when you do._   Those words cleaved her soul and clung to her memory with haunting clarity.  The timer of her phone beeped and brought her back to reality.  She looked down at the test in her hand.  Negative.  _Thank God._   The phone rang again.  This time she answered it. 

Wyatt’s first words had been something to the effect of “where the hell were you?”  After she had explained she was in the bathroom, he seemed to calm down slightly.  That was until she broke the news that she wasn’t pregnant, _again_.  When she brought up the possibility of looking into adoption, he lost it completely and berated her _loudly_ over the phone.  _He didn’t want someone else’s kid_.  He literally just said that to her.  Unbelievable.  Lucy saw it another way: she had lots of love to give any child, whether that child be hers biologically or not.  Wyatt ended the call abruptly and just hung up.  She wanted to cry, but it seemed her body had decided to also betray her in that respect.  The tears just didn’t come.  Instead, she felt numb.

For the first time in her life, she had begun to question whether she still _wanted_ to be married.  She had been unhappy for quite some time, but had tried her best to work it out.  Problem was, she felt like she was the only one who tried.  Wyatt acted like nothing was ever his fault.  It was always that _she_ overreacted, _she_ worried too much or _she_ couldn’t get pregnant.  He went out with his army buddies all the time, while she barely ever saw her friends or family.  Even when she did, he found some reason to constantly call her or show up where she was.  When Lucy called him out on his controlling behavior, it would send him off into a blind rage and somehow end with the fact he loved her so much, he just wanted to be with her as much as possible.  When she reminded him of the nights spent working on his car, or out with his friends instead of spending time with her, he claimed he needed his space and she also needed hers.  This no win situation had become a daily occurrence in her life and she was miserable.  She still loved Wyatt, or at least she thought she did, but sometimes love just isn’t enough.

To add insult to injury, they had decided months ago to begin repairs and renovations on their fixer-upper of a house.  Unfortunately, their budget was sparse and Wyatt had insisted on doing everything himself, despite her protestations otherwise.  If it had been one of their cars, she wouldn’t have questioned him at all.  Wyatt knew how to fix them, but he knew nothing about plumbing or electrical work.  Even after it became apparent that Wyatt’s Mr. Fix-It skills were glaringly absent, he refused to let her call a repairman.  Now, Lucy had a destroyed basement, (instead of a finished one) and eighteen thousand things broken or held together with some sort of rudimentary duct tape concoction.  Her friend, Rufus, always helped if she had a computer problem or needed an electronics set up, but he wasn’t a plumber.  At this point, she was going to have to try to fix things herself.  Thank God for YouTube.

* * *

 

It was Saturday, she didn’t have any plans to speak of, but she needed to get a few things from the grocery store.  Still annoyed from her argument with Wyatt, she threw on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.  She was about to walk out the door, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror.  She had definitely looked better.  Her hair was a mess and it needed a quick fix.  After her hair was fixed and she did a cursory makeup check, she made her way to the store.  Lucy wanted to get in and out as fast as possible, but it was always busier on the weekends and she doubted this would be a quick trip.  She had just found the last essential item on her list, when she heard her name called from down the aisle.

“Lucy!”

When she looked up, she saw her friend, Emma.  They had met through their mutual friend, Rufus, and although their husbands detested each other at first, they eventually became friends. 

“Hi!” Lucy replied with a smile.

“How are you?” Emma inquired with genuine interest.

“I’m good.  How are you doing?”

“Great.  I’m crazy busy at work right now, but the work is so cutting edge that it’s addictive,” Emma responded.

“That sounds really interesting.  I’m glad you’re happy.  Finals are next week, so the semester is pretty much over at this point.  I have a few things I need to have fixed in the house, so I’ll have that to keep me busy.”

“Really?  Do you need help?  I’ll send my husband over.  He’s good with his hands,” Emma offered.

“What is she making me do now?”

Lucy turned to see Emma’s husband, Garcia, as he walked up to them with a case of water in his arms.

“Lucy needs home repairs done.  I told her you would help.  Plus, he’s fixed everything that needed it in our house and he’s got nothing better to do all day now that he’s retired from the NSA,” Emma teased.

“I’d be happy to help, Lucy.  What kind of repairs are we talking about?” he asked.     

“I couldn’t impose on your time like that,” Lucy answered with slight embarrassment.

“Lucy!  He’s driving me nuts!  Please, take my husband off my hands for a while.  Let him do work for you,” Emma exclaimed with an exasperated huff.

“I love you too, _darling_ ,” he teased.

 _And she thought Wyatt and her had issues._  

“Fine.  How can I say no to that?” Lucy joked.

* * *

“Okay, I will leave you two to plan.  I have to grab some stuff for my lunches this week.  Garcia, I’ll meet you in line.”

Emma excused herself. Flynn merely nodded at Emma. With the morning they had, getting a few moments away from his wife was welcome.

“How's Wyatt?” Garcia forced himself to ask Lucy, as Emma walked off.

“Oh, god, that was the last time I saw you!  The emergency room, right?  I was so embarrassed.”  Lucy looked down and her hand covered her eyes.  “Well, I don’t think he will be drinking while deployed.  They never found who hit him, but apparently, he deserved it.  The bartender said he had been very crude and yelling at the top of his lungs.  Honestly, I am glad he didn’t come home that night.  I don’t like when he gets like that.  Makes me- _uncomfortable._ ”

Flynn felt for her.  She didn’t deserve the way Wyatt treated her.  And if she knew the truth about who’d hit her husband, he wasn’t sure if she would thank him or hate him.

“You know, if you ever feel unsafe, you can call me.”

Lucy seemed genuinely surprised by the offer.  She looked up at him, her expression not quite readable.  The two didn’t really know one another well.  She thought he was just an acquaintance’s husband, who had taken her husband to the ER once.  Which, Garcia had to admit, was accurate.  Ever since that night though, he had been concerned for Lucy.  Having been in the military and then the NSA, he knew the worst of this world.  And he knew better men than Wyatt who had lost it.

“Thank you, Garcia.  That means a lot.  Especially being alone all the time.  It’s nice to know I-can call someone.”

Lucy smiled at him, and looked down as a small blush graced her cheeks.  Flynn couldn’t help but lick his bottom lip.  He was glad Lucy hadn’t looked up when he did it.  He usually did it when he was amused or nervous.  Right now, he was amused.  Did he make Lucy blush?

“Anyway, I uh-I should go.”

“Okay.” He said as he smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Lucy smiled and began to turn her cart around, but the corner of it hit a display of crackers. Flynn watched Lucy tense up, as the display toppled down, half of it going into her cart, the other half on the floor.  Donning what he was certain was a shit-eating grin, he walked over to help her.

“Oh, shit.  _Seriously_?” Lucy muttered under her breath.

Flynn had already knelt and picked up the boxes.  He started to put the display back.

“Uh, I can do that. You don’t need to…”

“Lucy, it’s fine,” he laughed.  “That was-entertaining.”

“Oh, really?  My mortification entertains you?”

She looked like she was trying not to smile, as she joined Garcia and helped him pick everything up.

“You’re mortification?  No.  You?  Eh…”

He looked up as if he pondered on something.  Lucy looked like she was going to slap him with mock indignation.  Soon, the display was put back together.

“Okay, well, we should really stop flirting,” he teased, as he expected Lucy to respond with something witty.

Although it was only meant to be innocent, Lucy’s jaw dropped a little, she turned a deep shade of pink and looked as if she had been hit with a stun gun.  As he looked away, Flynn tried to think of some way to come back from that, when…

“Lucy!  Is that you?”

A woman’s voice came from down the aisle.  She was blonde and in her sixties, he guessed.

“Mom?”

Lucy rolled her eyes.  “I should probably not ignore my mom, but yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.  Bye, Garcia.”

With that, Lucy squeezed Flynn's upper arm; a gesture of appreciation.  He tried to ignore the electric shock he felt at her touch, so he just smiled and nodded.

“See you soon, Lucy.”

With that, he watched her walk to her mom, who was already talking emphatically about something. He briefly made eye contact with the older woman, who just gave him a curt nod.  He returned the nod and walked away. 

Flynn went and met Emma at the line.  She eyed him, but didn’t ask why he had taken so long.  Truth was, they both were avoiding a conversation.

When they got home, he helped carry the groceries in, and then tried to leave the room.

“We need to talk,” Emma said.

Her presence acted as a barrier between Flynn and his angry brooding.

“What about?”

“Let’s talk about what’s bothering you.”

“Well, I am not bothered by anything... accept the fact that my wife doesn’t want to have kids with me,” he said as his eyes narrowed.

“Garcia, please!  After your daughter-and the miscarriage, I just-I can’t face breaking your heart again.”

Emma walked forward and put her hand on his chest.  Slowly, she tried to raise herself up enough to kiss him.  Her lips met his, but he couldn’t be much more than an iron gate.  Suddenly, he was filled with intense anger toward the woman who had lied to him and was now used his late family to try and soften him.

“No, Emma, you don’t get to do that,” he said as he peeled her hands off him as he stepped back.  “I don’t even know why you married me, honestly.  You said you wanted the same things as me- and you have done nothing but avoid it like the plague. Was it all a lie?”

“Not a lie,” she said pleading.  “I just... I changed my mind.  I am so sorry.”

“Well, Emma. I am, too.  Children are a deal breaker for me.  I want a family and I think that there is nothing to be ashamed of in that.”  He paused and looked at her with sadness, “I think you need to consider whether or not you want me in your life.  Because you are doing a great job of pushing me away.”

Emma looked as if she had just had her foot run over.

“Please, don’t talk like that.  I love you.”

“Yeah,” Flynn said.  The words wouldn’t come out of him.  “I have to go.”

As he left, his heart deflated. 

* * *

_The truth is a tough pill to swallow._  

Flynn thought darkly, as he beat the living daylights out of his punching bag.  He began to feel as if his mouth was filled to the brim with those pills.  They were being shoved farther and farther down his throat, until he was no longer able to breathe.  He thought about what Emma had been like when he first met her.  She was fierce, exuberant, ambitious.  They had been married for three months when they found out they were pregnant.  He was ecstatic and she seemed happy and excited.  Then, she miscarried at sixteen weeks.  Flynn had tried so hard to keep hope.  He loved his wife.  Well, as much as a broken heart could love.  He was under no illusions when he remarried.  He knew he couldn’t be the man he was for his first wife.  He knew that he would never love anyone like he loved her.  Every part of his life after her, wouldn’t be as bright, but he had hoped a family would change that.

To be a father again, that sounded like the only way he could possibly find meaning in all of this.  It was either that or falling in love again, but he was already married.  Plus, Emma had proven that “love” wasn’t the right word for what they had, so there was not much of a chance that would happen.  He had been somewhat happy with Emma at first, then the miscarriage happened.  She became distant.  He felt more and more alone.  Six months ago, he told her that they would either try again to have a child, or he was leaving.  He wasn’t going to spend his life wanting something and never having it.  But now, with this betrayal, he didn’t think he was strong enough to continue.

Yet, he was loyal to a fault.  That was the only reason why he hadn’t stormed off to a lawyer’s office right now and asked for separation papers.  Was he going to work through things with her?  He didn’t know.  He just knew he had to calm down before he made that decision.  On the bright side, at least he would have a project to focus on.  Having retired early, Flynn was bored out of his mind.  Having no work to do drove him crazy.  He was sure that the Logan residence needed work, he had seen the house firsthand.

He had to admit hanging out with Lucy Preston for four months, (the rest of spring and then the summer) wouldn’t be the most painful thing in the world.  She was a treat to look at, not that he’d ever tell her that.  And, he would certainly never act on it.  Although today, more words than he intended got out of him.  He could always claim to be a bit of a flirt, which he really wasn’t, usually.  But he could play a part if needed to.  As long as the part didn’t involve being mean to Lucy, he couldn’t do that.  They didn’t know one another too well, but he felt a bit of a bond at this point, with the both of them being married to spouses who obviously didn’t respect or appreciate them.  Honestly, what he did know about her-well, more so what he knew about her idiot husband, would upset her.

What Flynn did know about Dr. Lucy Preston both impressed and saddened him.  He had read all of her books and thought she was quite the author.  Her writing style was witty and analytical, while still imaginative.  Even for someone who already loved history, her books were a welcome departure from the dry, fact-packed and stifling chapters of most historians.  Lucy’s books carried you through a story, and her works were genuinely, enjoyable.  As far as her and Master Sergeant Wyatt Logan?  Well, Lucy always seemed so sweet.  Logan, on the other hand, was nice when he wasn’t drunk.  Flynn used to go to a weekly poker game, which would eventually devolve into Logan suggesting they go outside and have man-talk.

Wyatt used to talk about Lucy like she was God’s gift to the world, which Flynn readily agreed to (all men should talk about their wives that way).  But there were a few interactions that made him uncomfortable.  Like when Wyatt suggested that they wife-swap.  The idea had shocked him.  He and Emma were recently married at the time, and well, their sex life had been good up until then.  So, he chalked it up to “that drunken Wyatt.”  But, he felt bad for Lucy.

About a year later, Wyatt had been bitching so much, that he asked him if he was unhappy. 

Wyatt’s response was, “You know how women are, Flynn!  They give it to ya like crazy at first.  That is until they trap you.  Then the mind-blowing train to Pound Town just stops.”  He snapped his fingers at that.

Flynn felt his stomach churn.  Another man’s wife or not, Lucy deserved to be respected.

“God damn it, Logan. I wish you weren’t such a fuckin’ asshole,” he said, as he folded up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

“What?”

Logan turned, finished his beer quickly, and threw the glass on the ground.  He wobbled a little bit, as he pointed his finger at Flynn  “Are you challenging me, Flynn?”

“You need to respect your wife.  Lucy seems like a great person.”

“You don’t know her.  She is a nag.  Won’t stop bothering me about having kids and a ‘family.’  I just wanna have fun while I am young!” Wyatt yelled.

Flynn felt the rage as it built up in him.  _How could a man say these things about someone he was supposed to love. Someone he was supposed to protect?_  

“Maybe I’ll go give her those kids tonight if you know what I mean…”

Wyatt was drunk out of his goddamn mind, and now he was talking about drunkenly forcing himself on his wife?  What the hell?  Before Flynn registered his actions, he had punched Wyatt in the face.  The man went down without a hitch, landed on the broken bottle fragments, and didn’t get back up.  Garcia loaded him into his car and took him to the ER.  He had been fine and apparently didn’t remember any of the horrible things he said about his wife.

“Mr. Flynn?” Lucy whispered behind him in the ER.

He turned around to look at her.  She looked tired, still dressed in pajamas and a coat, with her long dark brown hair tied up.  Her brown eyes looked up at him widely. 

“The doctor told me you brought him in.  What happened?”

“Uh, he got punched,” he said.

He tried not to seem evasive, so he looked right at her.  Even tired and pulled out of bed in the middle of the night, she still looked...  _good_.  Wyatt was an idiot.

“Did he deserve this?” she asked, which surprised him.  “Sorry, that must seem callous.  I care... but when he drinks... he, uh…”

“It’s okay, Lucy,” he said softly.  “He will be okay.  Wounds looked superficial.  He is really drunk though.”

Lucy nodded and stared into space.

“Mrs. Logan?” A nurse called from Wyatt’s hospital room.

When Lucy didn’t turn, Garcia gently squeezed her shoulder and pointed to the nurse.

“Uh, what?”

“She called you.  Unless you aren’t ‘Mrs. Logan’, after all?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Actually, it’s Dr. Preston,” she corrected.  “My publisher told me not to change it-and well, book sales increased on my last biography, so I can’t say she was wrong.”

“Well, I know your name makes me buy a book,” Flynn said with a smile.

He knew he’d recognized her face from somewhere.  He couldn’t believe he hadn’t made the connection before.  Lucy looked up, as a small smile curled on her lips.  As the nurse walked over, Flynn whispered gently, “Would you like some coffee, Lucy?”

She looked surprised as if no one had ever thought about her wants or needs.

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

She squinted at him.

“Okay, I’ll let you two talk.  I’ll be back soon.”

He went to the 7-11 down the street to get a half-way decent cup of coffee at two in the morning.  When he got back, Lucy was still outside the room.

“I didn’t know what you take, so I did two cream, two sugars.  And I brought extra.”

Lucy smiled up at him and took the coffee. He sat down next to her.

“Perfect,” she said.  “Hey, uh-I know we’ve only talked one other time, at Shane Macy’s birthday party, for two seconds.  But that accent, um, where are you from?” 

Garcia laughed at her hesitancy.

“Croatia,” he said.  “My mom was American, so I am a citizen.  And my father was Irish-Croatian.”

Lucy nodded.  “Interesting mix.  Listen, thanks for everything.  I owe you one.”

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flynn and Lucy’s friendship grows as he begins the repairs on her house.

Lucy was already on her second load of laundry when the doorbell rang.  She shut the dryer door and ran up the basement stairs.  She knew Wyatt would be pissed about Garcia fixing the house, but she really didn’t care anymore.  Things were breaking down as fast as a cheetah running across the savannah and she had had her full.  She especially wished the half-finished deck out back could get completed.  At least she could get some sun then.  Plus, since she wouldn’t be in a maternity swimsuit this summer, she could finally wear that cute little bikini she bought at the end of last season. 

As she approached the door, she saw Garcia on the front porch, toolbox in hand.  _At least he’s punctual.  She definitely couldn’t say the same about her own husband_.  She flashed a smile and opened the door.

“Morning, Lucy.”

“Good morning.  Come on in,” Lucy stated with a wave of her hand.

She shut the door behind him and led him towards the kitchen, which, next to the basement, had the most problems.

“Coffee?”

“I’m good right now, thanks.”

Lucy poured herself a mugful, as she nodded her head.

“So, what problems have you been having?” he asked.

The list she immediately rattled off in her head was extensive, and she hadn’t even gotten to the repair parts yet.  _Let’s see, my husband is currently being a real asshole, I can’t get pregnant no matter how hard I try, and my house is falling apart along with my marriage._

“How long do you have?” Lucy laughed.

“That bad, huh?”

“Last chance to change your mind,” she joked.

He smiled widely and laughed back.  “What, and give up the chance to spend my summer slaving away for the fabulous Dr. Lucy Preston?”

She sensed the burn in her cheeks instantly, and then looked at her feet in embarrassment.  _Fabulous?_   She considered herself anything _but_.  Her life seemed to be falling apart, just like her house.  And just like her house, she felt like sometimes she was being held together by duct tape.  She managed to cover up her embarrassment with her usual self-deprecating humor.

“Yes, I’m _so_ fabulous.  Stanford sweat pants and a flannel shirt are _all_ the rage now!  All because of my fabulous self!” she exclaimed, as she waved her hand in perfect imitation of a Price Is Right model.

“Don’t forget the messy bun.  It _totally_ makes the look,” he responded with a straight face.

Silence ensued afterwards, and then they suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.  Laughter was just what she needed.  It had been so long since she had laughed like that.  Somehow, Garcia Flynn had managed to get her to laugh so hard, that she had just snorted.  _And now, she was mortified once again_.  She shuffled her feet nervously, and then dared to meet his gaze again.

“Well, why don’t I show you a few things that need to be fixed that probably won’t take you that long?  That way, I won’t take up the rest of your summer.”

“Lucy, _I_ say, you take me through the house, room by room, and let me know _everything_ that needs to be repaired.  Then, you can let me know what you want me to work on first.  Deal?”

 _Who was this man?_   She hadn’t recalled the last time anyone asked her what _she wanted_.  Recently, Wyatt told her what she wanted.  Before that, her mother had been the same way all her life, and sometimes she wondered if she was destined to be everyone else’s perpetual doormat. 

She nodded back at him with a small smile.  She started in the kitchen, then moved to the back deck and so on, until she led him down the narrow stairs to the basement.  The basement was the worst room in the entire house.  Her hot water heater was on its last legs, the pipes continued to leak (despite the patches Wyatt had put up) and the dry wall needed to be torn down and replaced entirely.  Garcia had remained silent throughout the entire house tour.  He took notes on his cell phone about each room. 

Once he finished his notes about the basement, they made their way back to the kitchen and sat down.

“I’ll take that coffee now, if that’s alright?”

“Sure!”

She jumped up from her seat and rushed over to the counter, grabbed a fresh mug from the cabinet, poured the coffee and hurried back to the table. 

“Well, if I ever open a coffee shop, you’re hired,” he joked.

She smiled back at him and sensed the blush had returned to her cheeks.  He opened the list of needed repairs on his phone and handed it to Lucy.

“What do you want me to work on first?”

She looked at the _long_ list on the phone for a few minutes. 

“How about you start with the clogged sink in my upstairs bathroom?  It’s driving me nuts!”

“Done.”

She climbed the stairs and walked into her bedroom, as Garcia followed closely behind. 

“I really hope you can fix this.  It would be nice to be able to brush my teeth in my own bathroom for once.”

Garcia knelt down in front of the sink, opened his toolbox, removed a wrench, and started to tinker with the pipes underneath.  Lucy watched him work from the bedroom.  He appeared to know what he was doing, although she wouldn’t know the difference.

“Well, you’ve got a nasty hair clog in here.  There’s also something else…”

He reached back into his toolbox and removed a snake.  He stood back up and was about to place the snake into the drain, when he paused.

“Hey, Lucy?  Do you have a bucket?  I don’t want to make more of a mess under your sink.”

“Sure.  Give me a sec.”

Lucy rushed down to the basement, which was where she kept her cleaning products, grabbed a bucket, and ran back upstairs.  She handed Garcia the bucket and stood over him in the bathroom, as he twisted the snake into the drain.  He pushed with considerable force, yet the clog didn’t seem to budge.  He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. 

“Did Wyatt pour liquid cement in here?”

Lucy chuckled as she shook her head.  “Maybe, you never know with _my_ husband.”

After a few more tries, accompanied by additional beads of sweat, the clog pushed through.  An amorphous, brown blob of goo plopped into the bucket, followed by a distinctive metal clang.  Both looked at each other with raised eyebrows, completely miffed by a sound they had not expected.  Garcia bent down and sloshed the goop around in the bucket.  He stuck his hand into the bucket and pulled out something.  He turned around as he stood up, and Lucy saw something shiny in his hand.

“Missing something?” he asked, as he held up a gold locket.

Her jaw dropped open, her eyes widened, and a look of shock and surprise filled her face.

“My locket!” she shrieked.  “I’ve been looking for that.  I _knew_ I didn’t lose it when we were out that night.”

He rinsed off the locket in the sink, (as best he could) and handed it to her.  Then he bent back down and reattached the pipe.  He sat the bucket down next to the toilet and washed the grime off his hands.  He turned his body slightly to dry his hands on the towel that hung on the wall, when Lucy hugged him tightly. 

“Thank you.  You have no idea what this locket means to me.”

She stared down at the gold locket in her hands.  She gingerly opened it to reveal the tiny photos inside.

“My sister, Amy,” she stated as she showed him the photo.  “She gave me this when I got my Ph.D.  I wore it every day.  One night, Wyatt and I came home from eating dinner and the next morning I couldn’t find it.  He _swore_ I must’ve lost it at the restaurant and to just forget it because it was gone for forever.  He didn’t understand why I was so upset,” she explained.

She looked up into his eyes, and the tears streamed down her face.  _Great.  Now she was crying in front of him.  He’s going to think she’s a complete basket case._

“I’m glad I could find it for you,” he replied with a smile.

His smile was so soft, so genuine.  He had no reason whatsoever to be that happy for her.  After all, they barely knew each other.  Yet to her surprise, he seemed honestly delighted for her.  There was no snicker, no roll of his eyes, no sigh of annoyance or judgment when she told him why the locket meant so much.  It was-refreshingly pleasant.  _Emma really was a lucky woman._  

* * *

The day seemed to pass by rather quickly, while Flynn fixed up various things in Lucy’s house.  He had made himself a list of eight easier tasks to get done that day, and he was almost finished with the sixth (fixing Lucy’s door hinges and handles), when the doorbell rang.  Checking his watch, it was about two in the afternoon.

“Hey, Garcia!” Lucy called up from the landing on the stairs.

“Yeah?”

“If you don’t mind, my sister wanted to ask you something.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there.  Just finishing up here.”

After a couple minutes, Flynn made it downstairs to find a second Preston brunette in the living room.  This one was holding a baby; the kiddo couldn’t be more than nine months old.

“You must be Amy?”

“Yes, nice to meet you!  Garcia Flynn, right?”

“Yeah, just Flynn is fine.”

He shook her hand. 

“So, you had a question?”

“Well, I brought this baby gate for Henry, and it looks like it needs to be drilled into the wall.  I was wondering, if you might have the tools for that?  Henry is crawling like crazy, and well-we don’t want to take any chances.  Could I borrow your drill?”

“You know what, I do ya one better.  I’ll install it for you,” Flynn smiled.

“Are you sure?” Amy asked.

The sheer look of relief coming from her made Flynn feel appreciated.

“Oh yeah, of course.  I’m already doing stuff, what’s one more thing?  We gotta keep the little guy safe, don’t we?”

Flynn said it with a smile, as he waved to the boy.  He was rewarded with a smile and some laughter.

“He’s precious.”

“Thanks!  He really likes you!”

“Well, what a compliment!” Flynn laughed.  “Here, I’ll take the gate.  Where would you like it, Lucy?”

“There is a guest room down here.  I think I’ll make that Henry’s room when he comes over.” Lucy smiled, “Thanks so much!”

“Of course.  It was nice to meet you Amy.  And you, Mr. Henry!”

Flynn laughed as the little boy squealed at him.

As Flynn walked away, he overheard Amy telling Lucy she’d be back in a few hours, and to call if she needed anything.  Apparently, this was a test run for the summer, when Lucy would be watching Henry more often.

Installing the gate took much longer than expected.  What he thought would be an hour-long task, had become a two hour one, since Flynn had to adapt the gate to fit the door.  In the end, he was successful.  As he finished up, he overheard Henry wailing in the living room.

“Everything okay?” Flynn asked, as he saw a frazzled Lucy trying in vain to feed Henry the last of a bottle.  “May I?”

The way Lucy looked up at him, eyes wide and pleading, suddenly reminded him of Lorena shortly after Iris had been born.  Lorena had felt so lost at first, wondering if her daughter hated her, because she couldn’t stop crying.  In that instance, it turned out to be stubborn gas, and Flynn was willing to bet that was the case here, as well.  She nodded and handed the baby over.

“I think he hates me,” Lucy said, eyes brimming with tears.

“No, he doesn’t.  Babies don’t know enough to hate yet, and I don’t think anyone could hate you, Lucy.”

Carefully, Flynn sat down next to Lucy on the couch and set Henry face-up on his legs.  In a very gentle and practiced motion, he began to massage Henry’s tiny belly.

“What are you doing?”

“I am following the digestive tract in reverse.  Henry has gas.  This will help get it out.”

When he was done, he sat Henry up and patted his back with the same gentle touch.  Sure enough, Henry let out an impressive burp.

“How did you know that?” Lucy asked in wonder, as Flynn then let Henry stand on his legs and made funny faces at him.  “He’s not upset anymore!”

“My daughter used to get the same trapped gas.  She’d cry for hours.  My wife was a nurse, so I asked her what helped adults, and we just did it for Iris.  Worked every time,” Flynn said, somewhat surprised to not feel a pang of hurt when talking about Lorena and Iris.  “Aren’t you just a little gent?  Just the most handsome dude in town!”

Henry and Flynn laughed.  Kids really were good for the soul.  As he handed Henry back to his aunt, he noticed she had a sad look on her face.

“What’s wrong, Aunt Lucy?” Flynn asked playfully.

“You have a daughter?” Lucy asked, treading carefully.  “You don’t have to…”

“Yes.”

Before Lucy could apologize, Flynn continued.  “It was before Emma.  My first wife, Lorena-she and my daughter were in a car crash.”

“Oh my god.  I had no idea,” she said, stunned.  “I am so sorry, Garcia.”

“It was a long time ago.”

Even though he said it, he knew it would never feel that way.

“But you-you found Emma, right?” Lucy asked.

It seemed like she was trying to find some sort of silver lining in his life.

“Lucy, you’re a historian.  Are you familiar with the Croatian War of Independence?” he asked calmly.

“Uh, yeah, it was fought from 1991-95.  The Croatians declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,” she stated in a scholarly manner.

“Very good,” he said, genuinely impressed.  “Well, I fought in that war.  I was just sixteen.  Lied about my age to get in.  Anyway, I had a friend named Ilijah.  He had five kids, and had been married for several years.  One day, we intercepted enemy troops coming from his village.  I remember seeing him run to his house.  He found his family in there.  No one had been spared.”

Taking a breath, he continued.

“We had four more years left of fighting.  And we did just that.  When the war ended, I asked Ilijah what he was going to do.  The man that I had watched weep and grieve, looked me in the eye and said, ‘when a house burns down, you don’t give up.  You rebuild.  You make a new house to live in.’  I’ll never forget Lorena and Iris.  They are a part of me.  But I don’t want their end to be the end of my story.  They wouldn’t want that for me either.”

Lucy was quiet as she looked at Henry.  Flynn didn’t know why, but he felt like he had to continue.

“I don’t say this to depress you.  I say it to illustrate a point.  Life is so precious.  Every moment, every person, every smile.  At first, I could only remember the pain of losing my girls, but now I can think of them and remember the good times, the smiles, the laughter.  I can be thankful for the time I had with them and hope that I have that love again in my life.”

“And you and Emma, are you going to have kids?”

Lucy seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say.

“Well, when we first got married, we actually got pregnant.  I was over the moon.  It was tough though, we lost the baby.  I know it’s made it scary for Emma to move forward, but I’m hoping she’ll be willing to try again.  There is just nothing like being a parent.”

“Wyatt and I had been trying.  I don’t know now, though.  I mean, I want to be a mom, but with my career, and with Wyatt always gone, I don’t know what I would do.”

Lucy looked at Henry thoughtfully.

“But I know when it’s the right time, it’ll happen.”

“I think you’d make a great mom, Lucy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you have a kind heart and you’re smart.  Even if you can't smell.”

“What?  What do you mean?”

“I think Henry here has made something special for you,” Flynn laughed.

Lucy turned him around, and sure enough...

“Oh my god!” Lucy gagged, making Flynn laugh again.  “I think I am going to be sick.”

“Do you want some help?” Flynn asked.  “I do have experience.”

“Please, I will be eternally indebted to you!”  Lucy smiled wide.  “I just think throwing up on my nephew might ruin our relationship.”

Flynn just laughed, and grabbed the baby.

“But, you’re coming with.  You need to log observation hours, Dr. Preston.”

Grabbing the diaper bag, a laughing Lucy agreed, even if she still looked a bit green in the face.

* * *

When Amy arrived back at the house, she found Flynn on the floor, as Henry crawled over top of him.  The room was filled with the sounds of Henry’s cackles and Flynn’s laughs, as Lucy snapped photos and videos of the scene. 

“You’re back already?” Lucy stated with a small frown.

Amy shot her a confused look.  “Who are you and what have you done with my sister?”

Flynn chuckled as he sat up and pulled Henry into his arms. 

“Look who’s here!” he said, as he turned Henry around.

Amy strolled over and Flynn handed Henry back to her.  Amy smiled as she kissed Henry and repositioned him on her hip.  Lucy put down her phone, grabbed the diaper bag from the floor and handed it to Amy, as she hugged and kissed both her and Henry. 

“I got some really cute pictures of him.  I’ll send them to you.  Text me when you get home.  Love ya!” Lucy called, as she shut the door after they had departed.

Flynn stood up, glanced over at the clock on the wall and sighed.

“Guess I should be going too.”

“Oh, uh-sure,” she answered with a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

He picked up his toolbox, which sat by the door.

“Wait, wait!” she yelled in a panic.  “I have to pay you still.”

She grabbed her purse on the peg by the door and rummaged through it in search of her wallet.  He put his hand over hers to stop her.

“Lucy, it’s not necessary.  You don’t have to pay me.”

“Of course I do!  Don’t be ridiculous.  I basically took up your entire Sunday.  Plus, you worked hard and I _really_ do appreciate it.”

“Lucy, it’s fine, really.  I had nothing else to do today anyway.  And friends don’t charge each other for favors.”

“We’re friends now?” she giggled.

He paused, then smirked widely.

“I hope so.  Otherwise, it would be kind of awkward to allow your nephew to play all over some strange man.”

The laughter bubbled out of her like a fountain overflowing its capacity.  She had honestly laughed more today that she had in the last six months.  She was happy.  She wondered if it was the fact that she had company or if it was the company itself.  She knew she shouldn’t be greedy about it, but she didn’t want him to leave just yet.  A flash of brilliance formed in her brain, and the words were out of her mouth before she had time to process the idea. 

“Pizza!  Let’s order a pizza.  I can at least feed you as payment.”

“Oh, thanks, Lucy but…”

Suddenly, his phone chimed.

“One second.  Sorry.”

He opened the text message and read it.  A flicker of anger passed over his face momentarily and then faded.

“Well, I was going to tell you I already had dinner plans with my wife, but it seems she’s working late, _again_.  So, sure, pizza as payment it is.”

He smiled back at her, but she saw right through it.  He was disappointed about Emma. 

When the pizza arrived, Lucy motioned for him to have a seat at her kitchen table.  She opened the box and placed a slice on a paper plate.  She walked over and placed it down in front of him.

“Oops.  Almost forgot.”

She walked over to the fridge, grabbed two beers, shut the door and put them on the table before she turned to grab her own slice. 

“Tonight, Chez Preston has paired a rare, summer ale, with our gourmet, open-faced Italian pie, topped with fresh mozzarella and spiced tomato.  All served on our _finest_ china of course,” she joked in an attempt to lighten his mood.

“Well, who could say no to that?”

They laughed and chatted throughout the remainder of their meal and eventually settled down on the couch with another beer.  She felt relaxed for the first time in a while, and secretly wished the night would never end.  She could just be herself around him and that was literally an intoxicating and new experience for her.  _And,_ she really needed to stop flirting with him.  _What is wrong with her?_  

Lucy absentmindedly flipped through the channels on the TV, as they sat in comfortable silence.  She finally settled on Casablanca, which surprisingly, he didn’t seem to mind at all.  _There is no way Wyatt would sit and watch this.  Emma was lucky indeed._  

About halfway through the movie, Lucy shifted on the couch, laid on her side and pulled her feet up, as she tucked them tightly into her.  She wanted to stretch out, but Garcia was next to her and she didn’t want to be rude by sticking her feet up against his leg.  To her astonishment, he reached over, grabbed her ankles and pulled her feet over his leg.  The smile he flashed back at her, forged a flutter in her heart.  _Stop it!  He’s just a friendly type of guy.  Nothing to read into here._  

Her feet stayed there until the end of the movie.  Once it was over, she pulled her feet down and stood up to stretch.  He followed her lead and stretched his long limbs as well. 

“Wow, it’s that late already?  I better get going.  When do you want me back?” he asked earnestly.

_Tomorrow too soon?_

“I’ll be around most of the week.  I have finals on Tuesday, so I’ll be gone in the afternoon.  What’s best for you?”

“How about I come back on Wednesday then?”

“Wednesday.  It’s a date, well, you know, not a _date_ date.”

He laughed, as he grabbed his toolbox and opened the door.

“See you Wednesday, Lucy.”

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy drops off a check to Garcia. Flynn begins work on Lucy’s deck. Flynn finds out some disturbing information.

Lucy’s Tuesday was filled to the brim.  True, she had proctors to administer her final exam to her students, but she still had to hold office hours and go over the final exam with her teaching assistant, since they would be grading the exams before she had her final say.  She also had to drop off a check to Garcia for him to purchase the wood for her new back deck.  It wasn’t the most practical of choices, but at this point, she wanted to be able to enjoy _something_ this summer. 

She hated to bother Emma when she knew she was at work, but she had forgotten to get Garcia’s cell number when he was there.  Emma texted her back and informed her to just drop on by since Garcia was definitely at home.  Since she had to pass the exit to the Flynn residence on her way home from Stanford, she figured she’d do just that. 

She pulled up to the gray and white bungalow, parked the car and walked up to the front porch.  Lucy took a quick glance around the porch and was genuinely impressed with what she saw.  It was wide and spacious, with a small, round table flanked by two Adirondack chairs at one end and a cozy padded porch swing on the other.  _I wonder if he built this.  If he did, he did a fantastic job._   She opened the door and rang the bell.  No response.  She rang the bell again and knocked as well.  Still nothing.  She tried to peek into the living room from the front window, but saw no movement at all.  _Maybe he’s out?_  

She was about to just slide the check under the front door, when she heard banging come from the side of the house.  She followed the stone-paved path from the porch around the house towards the garage.  When she spied the cause of the noise, she stopped dead in her tracks.  There, in the garage, stood Garcia, as he repeatedly pounded a heavy bag.  He was clad in a white, sleeveless tank top and gray sweatpants.  But it wasn’t the sight of a man working out that had made her stop and stare.  No, no.  She had seen her fair share of sweaty men in the gym over the years.  What she hadn’t seen before, were _those abs_!  Garcia had lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow and she was given a front-row view.  Sweat glistened down and around the undulating muscles of his six-pack.  Lucy was transfixed.  She had no idea he had _that_ going on underneath his shirt.  I mean, her husband was no slouch, but he was active military and had to maintain a certain level of fitness.  And, if she was being honest, she had always had a thing for tall, dark and handsome.  _Get a grip!  You’re just lonely.  Stop ogling your friend._

She shook the inappropriate thoughts from her head and shuffled her feet towards him.  She had made it most of the way down the driveway before he noticed her.

“Hey, Lucy.  What brings you here?  I thought we agreed on Wednesday?”

“We did, but I-I wanted to drop off the check for the wood.”

“Oh?  You didn’t need to.  I could’ve gotten it from you tomorrow,” he replied as he grabbed a towel and wiped his brow and arms.

“It was on my way home.  No big deal.”

 _His arms are nice too.  Stop it!  Stop it right now!_   _Being lonely and horny does not give you the right to check him out.  Yet, art is supposed to be appreciated, right?_   She desperately needed a distraction, so she began to scour through her purse in search of the check. 

“Aha!” she exclaimed, as she pulled it out of her purse and held it up in the air.

She handed it to him and accidentally brushed her fingers against his when she did so.  A jolt of electricity ran through her body.  She _had_ to get out of here before she made a fool of herself. 

“Alright, then, I guess I’ll let you get back to your workout,” she stated as she backed up towards the garage door. 

“See you tomorrow,” he replied with a wide smile.

Lucy turned on her heels and practically ran back to her car.  _Oh, boy!  This might not have been the best of ideas after all._

* * *

The next morning, Lucy woke up extra early (nothing to do with Garcia coming over or anything).  She pulled her hair up into a ponytail, and searched her closet for her favorite sundress.  After she finished her makeup, she made her way down to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.  She had absolutely nothing to do today, and that was a welcome sight.  Perhaps she could get some sun and curl up with a good book.  She sipped her coffee, as she glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall every few minutes.  She was suddenly both anxious and nervous about seeing him today.  The whole thing was ridiculous.  _It’s not like he knew what dirty little things were running through your brain.  You have no reason to be anxious or nervous._   She idly scrolled her phone for a few minutes, before she heard a car door slam outside.  She heard the back gate open, and watched from the window, as Garcia unloaded the lumber from his truck into the yard. 

She meandered the house for the first couple hours while he worked, and then decided she was going to sunbathe and read her book.  So, she changed out of her sundress and put on that new, skimpy bikini she bought.  It was burgundy, tied in the front and had wide shoulder straps.  The matching bottoms featured cut-outs to the side.  She tied the matching sarong around her waist, grabbed her sunglasses, sunscreen, and a beach towel and headed out to the backyard.  Lucy strolled out the door and proceeded down the stairs to the grass.  She unequivocally noticed the double take he gave her when she walked out.  She looked _good_ in the bikini and she _knew_ it.  She placed her towel on the grass and took a seat.  She opened the sunscreen and began applying it liberally to her chest and arms.  As she got down to her legs, she thought Garcia might have been checking her out.  Every time she glanced over at him, he seemed to be working and paying her no mind.  Except, there was one time, when he thought she wasn’t looking, that she definitely caught him.  She debated whether to ask him the favor she was about to (given how hot and bothered she had become yesterday), but out of practicality did anyway.

“Hey, Garcia?  Would you mind…?” she asked as she held up the bottle of sunscreen and turned her back to him.

He looked like he had been struck over the head with a sharp object.  He just stared at her like she’d just asked him to touch radioactive material.  _Well that hurt.  She never thought she was that unattractive._   Still, he strolled over to where she was on the lawn and reached for the bottle.  Lucy leaned forward and flipped her ponytail over to the side.  The sunscreen was cold when it met her skin, but his hands were warm as they massaged it gently into her back.  She couldn’t lie. It felt good to be touched by a man again.  _It had been a long time._   _Too long._  

Once he finished rubbing the sunscreen on her back, he got up and went back to work.  Lucy picked up her book and tried to put what had just happened out of her mind.  But she couldn’t.  Nor did it help matters much that he took his shirt off a few minutes later.  Whereas before she had only gotten a glimpse of his abs, Garcia Flynn was in full display for her now.  It was a hot and humid day, and the sweat poured down his chiseled chest, brawny biceps and strapping shoulders like a sudden sun shower.  _Oh, good lord!  It should be illegal to look that good._   With every swing of the sledgehammer, his back muscles rippled.  _How is she supposed to be around him all summer?_  

The remainder of the afternoon was utter torture.  He had successfully ripped out most of the old decking and removed it.  He would still need to install the new decking.  _Another day of her own private show is fine with her!_

Maybe spontaneous combustion really did occur.  Between the heat of the day and the heat of the gorgeous, shirtless man currently in her yard, she was afraid it was about to happen to her.  Guilt crept into her at this point, and she knew she had to extricate herself from the situation.  _Nothing like a cold shower to take the edge off_. 

Lucy gathered her sunscreen, towel and book, and headed back into the house.  She placed her book on the coffee table, and moseyed upstairs to her room.  _To hell with a cold shower._   _She had needs too.  And, well, since her husband wasn’t here, she’d take care of the heat building between her thighs herself._   

Her only hesitation was the fact she didn’t usually do this with the possibility of an audience.  She peeked out the back window and saw Garcia still hard at work out back.  _He couldn’t hear her all the way outside.  Plus, he had a radio blaring loud enough for him to hear it over all the banging._   _Banging.  She really need to get her mind out of the gutter._

She took off her clothes, opened the shower door and turned the nozzle.  She stepped under the water and allowed it to bead down her sun-kissed skin.  Lucy closed her eyes and began to lightly massage her breasts, as she thought back to the last time her husband had made love to her before he left.  Slowly, she slid her one hand down her slick body to her center and inserted a finger.  She exhaled a tiny purr, as she proceeded to work out her latent sexual frustration.  She tried to think about Wyatt, but her mind kept going back to Garcia.  Tall, dark and delicious, Garcia Flynn.  She knew she shouldn’t think of him while she was doing this, but nothing else had worked so far, so…

She panted and moaned at the thought of those large hands of his caressing her curves.  _It’s not cheating.  No.  It’s no different than having a dream, right?_   _Plus, men did it all the time, why can’t she?_   _All she did was create her own porn.  It’s not cheating if it’s all in your head._ She decided to go with that as she worked herself to climax.

* * *

It’s official: Lucy Preston is a murderer.

She is actively trying to kill him, or at least it feels that way, as she sits in her backyard, slathering sunscreen on her (perfect) body.  Flynn tries to breathe, he tries not to look.  He wonders if she can see him, since he can’t see her eyes in her sunglasses.  But she’s putting lotion on her stomach now... and, god, the woman could be a model.

Just as he thinks he should stop staring, Lucy calls him over.  She asks him if he can get her back.  Briefly, he thinks of all the ways he would love to touch her.  Attempting to shake it away, he walks over and helps her.  Her skin is soft and smooth.  He tries not to notice the goosebumps she gets when he touches her, and what that does to him (after all, there is nothing more arousing than a responsive lover, in his opinion).  He also fights the urge to kiss her neck.  _God.  What is wrong with him?  He is a married man.  She is a married woman_.

When he is almost done, he notices a drop of sunscreen on the small of her back.  Gently, he swipes it off (trying not to touch her too firmly on what is most likely a sensitive spot).  Suddenly, her back arches slightly, and Lucy lets out a soft purr.  Garcia Flynn is straining in his pants.  There are two things he wants more than anything right now: one, to lay Lucy down on this towel and kiss her senseless, until she is begging him to map out her body with his lips, his tongue, his fingers, and two, he wants to die.  The truth is, he deserves to die for wanting the first thing, for almost acting on it.  He walks away without turning around.  He can’t possibly let her see what is happening in his southern hemisphere.  God, that would be awkward.

So, he works.  Eventually his “other” brain calms down.  That being said, he is still burning up.  Checking his phone, he realizes the temperature went up by ten degrees since this morning.  Stealing a look at Lucy, he debates whether or not she’d be offended if he took his shirt off.  Yesterday, she didn’t seem to mind when she saw him working out.  In fact, he pretended not to notice when she was checking out his arms, _and_ his abs.  _Well, fuck it,_ he decides, as he strips his shirt off.  After all, he can consider it payback for “The Burgundy Bikini Debacle of 2019.”

Apparently, his revenge is working.  Not long after he removes his shirt, he catches Lucy staring at him, biting her lip.  And yeah, that doesn’t do _anything_ to him.  _Yeah, he is going to straight to hell when he dies._

* * *

Flynn attempts to spend the rest of the afternoon ignoring every single aspect of his sexuality, but what happens next makes that extremely difficult.  The deck is looking like a two-day job, and well, Flynn likes to get things done.  So, after he finishes up what he can for the deck, he decides to do a few other quick tasks.  As a surprise for Lucy, he had gotten her a new door for her master bathroom.  Bringing up the door, he set it in the hall.  The door to the bedroom was open, so he thought nothing of it, and went in.  As soon as he looked up, his stomach dropped.

_Lucy was in the shower.  Lucy was naked, in the shower.  Lucy was naked, in the shower, and… touching herself._

Briefly, he wondered if she was thinking about him.  It took him a moment to realize that he was, indeed, staring at an incredibly attractive woman who was-well, fingering herself, as she took turns massaging each of her ample breasts. 

But she was also doing this in her own home.  In her own _private_ bathroom.  And Flynn absolutely should _not_ be looking.  Slowly, he backed out of the room and left.  As he got to the stairs, he heard Lucy begin to moan.  He really hoped that she thought he was still outside.  Otherwise, she would have meant for him to see that, or at least she would have factored in the possibility.  And he really couldn’t handle considering _that_ possibility.

Feeling equally guilty and sexually frustrated, he went and gathered his tools.  Going back inside, he was about to write Lucy a note saying he had to leave, when she came down the stairs in her robe.

“Hey, are you leaving already?” she asked, looking concerned.

“Uh, yeah... I just have plans tonight with Emma.”

To be fair, he _did_ have a date, with his wife.

“Ah... um...”

The silence was incredibly awkward.  Flynn was too busy trying _not_ to picture her naked to form words.  So, he just turned around to leave.

“Hey, Garcia?”

“Mmm?”

Again, no words were being made.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking down.  “I am so sorry, I made this awkward, didn’t I?  With the sunscreen thing?  God, this really sucks.”

“What?  No!  No, Lucy you’re fine.”

“Really?  So, you aren’t gonna give up on my house, or tell your wife I was trying to seduce you?”

He felt a shiver travel the length of his spine.  _Was she was trying to seduce him?_

“Were you trying to-you know?”

_God, he couldn’t even say it._

“Oh!  Oh my god, no!  No, Garcia, I wasn’t.  I just-I mean, I thought maybe you thought I was trying...”

The woman was almost as red in the cheeks as a lobster.

“Okay, I am just going to stop talking.  And, if you show up again tomorrow, I will be pleasantly surprised.”

“Lucy, I seem to remember my wife offering to lend me to you,” he said, smiling.  “It’s really her fault that she didn’t specify any boundaries.”

At that, Lucy’s eyes bugged, and her jaw dropped.

 _Oh, yep.  That definitely sounded like a proposition in retrospect_.

“I mean as far as applying sunscreen goes.  I am sure I could also help with first aid, too, if need be.”

At that, she finally laughed and the tension in both of them seemed to resolve.

“That’s good to know, Garcia.”

“Have a good day, Lucy,” he said, as he squeezed her arm lightly.

He could have sworn he heard a slight moan escape from her.

“Goodbye, Garcia.”

* * *

Flynn had resolved to finish Lucy’s repairs in a week and then excuse himself from the situation.  Lucy’s fear regarding his discomfort was sweet.  But, therein lied the problem: he wasn’t uncomfortable.  He was truly, completely comfortable.  Comfortable enough to think about mindlessly fucking her in the shower (shame on him, he knows).  And that was why he needed to quit.  He needed to come clean to Emma about what he saw, about the whole situation and just talk it through.

But then he gets home and sees what exactly Emma has been up to-and _fuck that shit._ It’s all right there on her iPad.  He didn’t mean to see it.  He hadn’t chosen to look.  When he got in from the garage, he heard the updates: the “blip-blip” signaling a text coming through.  After he reads it, he wonders exactly how many people have been caught cheating due to synced devices.

_Nicholas: I enjoyed our “collaboration” the other day.  Are you free tonight?_

_Emma: I have plans.  I had fun, too._

_Nicholas: Hmm, well, let me know when you’re free.  I had no idea your hands could do-well, you know what they did._

_Emma: Oh, now I am blushing. Shhh..._

Slowly, Flynn sends Emma a text of his own.  He watches both it, and her reply, show up on the iPad.  He told her he’s sick and needs to rest.  She tells him she hopes he feels better and she will be getting some work done tonight then.

_Emma: Actually, plans got cancelled.  You still wanna “collaborate?”_

_Nicholas: I think there are some new hypotheses we could test, for science..._

_Emma: For science, certainly... *Wink*_

Feeling numb, Flynn takes a shower while he tries to process what just happened.  Was Emma cheating on him?  Was that why she was so hesitant about kids?  He doesn’t even know.  Immediately after his shower, he packs a bag and heads to a local motel.  He needs space.  All he knows is that he can’t stand the idea of waking up in bed next to Emma right now.

The motel is small, but it’s on the main drag.  It’s not nice, but it’s cheap, and that is good, considering he doesn’t know how long he will be here.  Throwing his bag on the floor, he sits at the table staring off into a corner.  Having grabbed the bottle of Jack Daniel’s from the pantry at home, he takes two shots, and sends Emma one text before going to bed.

_Emma, maybe you shouldn’t leave your iPad at home.  You might need it.  You know, for science..._

 


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flynn returns to finish Lucy’s deck. Emma and Flynn have it out. Lucy attends a function, but not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long chapter. Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Note: Emma's awfulness is completely her own- we take no responsibility for the words that spew out of her mouth. Just know that the writer's (especially the Jewish one who wrote her part) do not agree with her.  
> -GLG

The next day came, but Flynn never showed up.  She felt awful.  _There goes that friendship.  Why had she been so stupid?_   And worst of all, she _still_ had a half-finished deck!  He had left his tools there, so she figured she would gather them up.  Maybe he would stop by for them.  Maybe she should take them to his house and apologize profusely again.  She didn’t know, so she did nothing, except gather them up and lock them in the garage.  She didn’t want anyone to steal anything.

Depressed as hell about how yesterday’s events unfolded, Lucy decided to go pamper herself.  Not that she could afford much, but she could at least afford a mani-pedi.  So, she threw on clothes and headed to the local nail salon.  It actually served a dual purpose, as she figured she needed to get them done anyway with the upcoming dedication for her mother. 

Stanford had bestowed a great honor upon the aforementioned Dr. Preston by dedicating the new women’s history wing after her.  There was to be a small dedication ceremony and then this huge gala afterwards.  Just one more thing Lucy would never be able to live up to.  She would basically be another accomplishment on the list of Dr. Carol Preston.  The daughter she molded in her own image, but who never seemed to live up to her expectations.  The daughter, who would be reminded of that fact _over_ and _over_ again as the night progressed.  She didn’t know what she dreaded more: being subjected to her mother’s constant criticism all night long, or being worried about her husband embarrassing the hell out of her.  It was no secret her mother hated Wyatt.  He was in no shape or form good enough for the daughter of Dr. Carol Preston.  She can still hear her mother’s words when she told her Wyatt had proposed and she had accepted.  “A mere soldier?  You can’t marry a soldier.” 

The so-called pampering session turned out to be anything but.  She was anxious about the stupid dedication, true.  But she couldn’t get Garcia out of her head.  Her gut twisted with dread at the thought of ruining a friendship with someone who liked a lot of the same things she did.  A friend who was so easy to talk to.  She had to fix this, but how? 

She wracked her brain the entire way home.  When she pulled into the driveway, she stopped dead in her tracks.  Her breath caught at the sight of him.  He was in her driveway, phone in hand.  She got out of the car and smiled nervously. 

“I was just about to call you,” he said with a smile.

His smile put her more at ease immediately. 

“Oh.  Well, surprise, I’m home!” she joked.

He chuckled at her apparent awkwardness. 

“I can’t find any of my tools.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were coming back, so I locked them in the garage.  I didn’t want anyone to steal anything.”

“I appreciate your concern for my tools, but why wouldn’t I come back?”

He seemed genuinely hurt by her comment.  But, there was definitely something off about him today.  Something was different and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.  He looked haggard, disheveled, disconcerted in some way.  That wasn’t like him at all.  _Did something else happen?  Surely, she didn’t have this kind of effect on him?_  

“Oh, never mind,” Lucy replied with a wave of her hand, as she walked towards the garage.

She opened the door to the garage and turned to leave, but he stood directly in her path and blocked her.

“I’m serious.  Tell me why you thought I wouldn’t come back, Lucy.”

“Things got awkward and I figured you wouldn’t want to risk a repeat.”

He appeared hurt by that comment as well.  She was just making this worse.  So she hurried out of the garage as fast as possible and practically ran back into the house. 

She tried to get some work done on her latest book for the next two hours, but found it next to impossible to concentrate.  She dared not peer into the backyard, terrified to bring forth any more awkward moments.  She knew he was busy at work from the construction sounds that emanated throughout her house. 

Her phone rang a minute later, and Lucy was thankful for the distraction.  She picked up the phone and noticed it was her husband calling.  Excited to hear from him, she answered.  She also regretted that decision approximately a minute into their conversation.

“What do you mean you can’t make it to the dedication?”

“I have to do my SERE training, Lucy.”

“You can’t do it any other time?”

“I’m not giving up my Labor Day Weekend!  That’s the only other time they offer it when I can go.”

Tears began to well in her eyes.

“You promised me Wyatt, you promised!”

“Calm down, Luce.  It’s not that big of a deal.  Just go by yourself.”

The tears silently streamed down her face.

“Go by myself?  Do you know how that makes me feel?  I swear half of my co-workers think I made you up.”

“You’re being ridiculous.  Stop acting so hysterical over a stupid party!” he yelled.

 _Hysterical?_   She _loathed_ that word.  Wyatt knew that. 

“You won’t do this for me?” she pleaded.

“No, I won’t.  You’re being a drama queen, Luce.”

 _Drama queen?_   She was so distracted by this argument with her husband, she hadn’t realized that Garcia had entered the house. 

“Lucy, do you know where my-”

“Who the fuck is that?” he demanded when he heard Garcia’s voice.

“Never mind.  None of your damn business!” she shrieked back, as the tears continued to flow down her cheeks like a raging river.

“Never mind!  Never mind!  There’s a fucking man in my house with _my_ wife and she tells me never _fucking_ mind?”

“That’s exactly what your wife is telling you!  You don’t trust me?”

“How can I, when you pull shit like this?  Why don’t you take mystery man to the dedicaton, huh? I gotta go.”

He hung up.  He just hung up on her.  _Again._   She slunk down into the chair in the kitchen, her hands clasped to her eyes as she cried harder.  She jumped when she felt the hand that gently rested on her shoulder.  She had forgotten all about the fact he was there. 

“Lucy?”

He squatted down next to her and physically turned her body so that she faced him.

“Lucy.”

He gently pulled her hands down from her eyes and placed them in her lap.  He didn’t let go of her hands though.  Instead he held them in his, as he skimmed his thumbs along her knuckles.  She wasn’t sure what she expected to see in his face, but the concerned look he gave her was definitely _not_ it. 

She doesn’t remember how she wound up in his arms, head buried in his shoulder, or how they made it to the couch in her living room.  He didn’t say anything at all, just held her as she cried and caressed her arm and back.  Support.  He gave her support when she needed it most.  The type of emotional support she craved from a partner.  But, he wasn’t _her_ partner.  She heard the voices of her mother and Wyatt in her head, as they condemned her for what she was doing. 

She panicked and tried to pull away, but Garcia didn’t let her.  He gripped her tighter as he petted her hair.  She closed her eyes for a moment, as she reveled in his touch.  For such a large and strong man, he had always been remarkably gentle with her.  She could’ve stayed in this position all day, face buried to the hilt in his neck.

“Lucy, do you want to tell me what happened?” he asked in a whispered voice.

She tilted her head to look at him. 

“It’s okay, if you don’t want to,” he added.

The words spewed out of her like a volcano that had just erupted.  She explained the entire dedication, how Wyatt had promised to go, how she now would have to go alone, and how much she hated how he couldn’t do this one thing for her.

“What was his excuse?”

“SERE training, whatever the hell that is!  He could be making the whole damn thing up.  I wouldn’t know.”

“SERE training is not made up.  I had to do it when I worked for the NSA.  It stands for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape.  Problem is, I happen to know they offer those training programs all over the place, especially this time of year.”

“So, he lied to me.  Great.  Even better,” Lucy said, as she stood up and went into the kitchen. 

She reappeared in the living room a few seconds later, with two bottles of beer in her hands.  She set one on the coffee table in front of him and opened the other. 

“If you want it.  If not, it’s not going to waste today.”

She took a huge gulp of her beer, sat back down and then turned to look at him. 

“You know what the bastard had the nerve to say to me?  That I should take you to the dedication,” she laughed.

“Why don’t you?”

“Ha ha, very funny.”

He leaned forward, opened the beer in front of him, and sat all the way back on the couch. 

“I’m serious.  I would be happy to go with you, Lucy.”

“No, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You couldn’t ask a friend to do that?”

She paused.  A friend?  Sure, she could ask a friend.  Him?  Well, that would definitely liven things up, wouldn’t it? 

“Are you sure?” she asked as she cringed, “It’ll probably be really boring.”

He chuckled, sat up and stared straight into her eyes.

“I doubt that.”

She raised her brow in confusion.

“You’ll be there.”

She felt the blush as it rushed to her cheeks.  Suddenly, he stood up and reached out for her hand.  She took it without question.  _Why did she just do that?_  

“I have something to show you.  Something that I know will cheer you up.”

He led her from the living room, through the kitchen and out onto her new, completely finished, back deck.

“Ta da!”

“Oh, my god!  It’s so nice.  I can’t believe it’s finished.”

She was so excited, she turned and practically jumped into his arms.  She hugged him tightly.  This _had_ cheered her up.  She pulled back, and apologized for having jumped on him. 

“It’s okay, Lucy.  Tell you what, let’s celebrate.  Cook out on your new deck?”

“Not unless you’re going to do the honors.  I’m a terrible cook.”

They wound up grilling a couple steaks Lucy had in the freezer, along with some vegetables.  _Damn, the man can cook too?_  

Multiple beers and hours later, she found herself on the edge of her seat, as he told stories about some of the cities he had visited over the years with the NSA.  She needed this today.  Needed the small semblance of companionship he could and was willing to offer her.  But she knew it had to end at some point.  Twenty minutes later, it did.  He hugged her goodnight, and she felt guilty for not wanting to let go. 

* * *

 

_“Darling, I’m home!” Flynn announced, as he walked into the house and set his coat on the rack._

_“I was thinking, maybe this weekend we could work on finishing our pond out back? Those lily-pads are looking a little lonely.”_

_“You know who else was a little lonely?” Lucy asked, as she walked into the kitchen with a robe wrapped around herself._

_Her hair and makeup were done up.  Flynn had a feeling she was undressed to kill.  She walked forward, grabbed his hands and drug him to the living room, as she pushed him down on the couch._

_With an exaggerated pout she exclaimed, “I was all alone, all day.”_

_As she sat on his lap, she bit her lip._

_“It made me think about a project I have for you.  It’s gonna take a lot of work.”_

_“I uh,” Flynn choked, his hands tentatively settling on her hips.  “I think I am up to the task.”_

_“Oh!” Lucy rocked herself on his lap, “I’d certainly say so.”_

_It wasn’t clear who started it, but the next thing Flynn knew they were furiously kissing.  Her shoulders became bare, and her robe slipped off.  Oh, yes, he was up to this task._

_“What’ll be?”_

_Lucy leaned back and pulled over a silver room service tray that seemed to come out of nowhere.  The tray was fully stocked with cherries, whip cream, hot chocolate drizzle, ice cream and jello shots?_

_What the hell?_

_Was he?_

* * *

Flynn was certain he was earning himself a one-way ticket to hell.  With a dream like _that_ , with latent desires like _that_.  He blamed the whiskey.  And the fornication-Emma's fornication, that is.

Waking up for the first time in a long time with a proper erection was very surprising, especially for a man who had just found out his wife was cheating on him.  Waking up after dreaming about your friend, who you just realized you’d love to lick whip cream off of, well, that was definitely the male in Flynn talking.  The male side of him that he had spent many years taming.  _What the hell?_

Yes, Lucy was gorgeous, and had they both been single, well, he wouldn’t have waited this long to make a move.  However, she isn’t single and he-he didn’t know what he was yet.  Well, he did know one thing: actually two things.  He was late and he was hungover. 

He hated himself a bit for looking forward to seeing Lucy.  He had no idea what he thought about anything, just that he felt raw, wired, like a nerve exposed.  So, when Lucy said she didn’t know if he was coming back, it was like a shot to the heart.  He’d always finish a job.  And now that he was seeing things a little more clearly, he had to admit, he would definitely come back for Lucy.

So, trying to push that dream out of his mind, Flynn went and finished her deck.  He had to work hard to keep himself in line.  He craved touch.  Until that dream, he hadn’t realized how touch-starved he had become.  But he and Emma had been growing apart for such a long time, he couldn’t even remember the last time they had sex, or the last time he had _wanted_ to have sex.  Yes, he had wanted kids, but that was all functional, and honestly, it was probably a last-ditch effort to forge a bond.

In retrospect, he had tried to push and push where there was nothing left.  He should have had more sense than that.  He definitely owed Emma an apology for that.

As he finished up the last touches on the deck, he heard Lucy yelling.  Making up an excuse to go inside, he stopped short when he heard Wyatt on the other line, clearly thinking the worst upon hearing the voice of a man in his house.

He couldn’t blame Wyatt, really.  After that dream and seeing Lucy in the shower the day before, he was having a very tough time not trying to get close enough to see if she wanted to let him kiss her.  He knew that wasn’t going to solve anything, and it would definitely make everything a hell of a lot worse, but just the idea of touching her sent a thrill through him.  However, he was being a good boy, and not trying to seduce his married friend.  So, Wyatt could go eat a dick.  Then the ass made Lucy cry.  _Seriously?_

So, instead of keeping his distance, Flynn was now cradling the woman that he was pretty sure he was developing feelings for.  Somehow, as the day progressed, Flynn managed to schedule a date with Lucy (okay, not a real date, but for garbage reasons, it’s a date), hold her hand more than once, touch her shoulders here and there, and grab her waist.  Once, she even jumped in his arms.

That night, after a few beers and a cookout, Lucy slipped her arms around Flynn’s waist.  He hoped to god she didn’t hear or feel his sigh, as he exhaled and leaned into her embrace.  God, she was all he needed and quite possibly exactly what he wanted.

When he realized they had been standing there holding one another for a few minutes, he tried to extract himself, much to Lucy’s chagrin.

“I uh-I should go.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

Lucy stood there, hands in the back pocket of her jeans, biting her lip.

 _God, he wanted to kiss her._   Instead, he swallowed his desire and walked away.

Getting his suit from the house was a shit storm.  Emma happened to be there, one-third of the way through a bottle of Everclear.  She looked a wreck: in her pajamas, with her hair tangled, and mascara from the previous day smudged under her eyes.  Flynn walked in, they made eye contact, and he turned the other way, headed for his closet.

He packed his stuff rather quickly.  It wasn’t until he was at the door with his suitcase, that she spoke to him.

“Aren’t you going to say anything to me?” she asked.

“What is there to say?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe-maybe we should try and fix this, Garcia.”

She looked sad and scared.  He pitied her for a moment.

“Fix what?  Emma, I don’t think there is anything left.  I don’t think there has been for a while.”

“Are you fucking her?” Emma bit, as she took another swig of her liquor.

“What?”

Staring at him, she pulled a cigarette out of the pack and lit it.  She took a puff, and blew smoke as she annunciated the name clearly. “Dr. Lucy Preston.  Tell me, is she good?”

“You know, I don’t have to listen to this.  I am _not_ the one who cheated.”

“It was only a matter of time.  I saw the way she made you blush.  You were like a kid in a fucking candy store.  I bet you just can’t wait to get your mouth on her tight little-”

“Stop it, Emma!” he yelled.

The woman could be so crass if she wanted to be.

“You’re drunk, wasted, really.  I haven’t done anything with Lucy.  She and I are friends.”

Emma eyed him, her lips curling into a devious snarl.

“Just like I was ‘friends’ with your best man at our wedding?”  Emma walked over slowly.  “God you were so desperate, and I wanted so badly to be the good person you needed, Garcia. But I’m just-I’m not.”

“Well, now we both know,” he growled, unable to keep himself from getting angry.

“It was his, you know?  The baby.  That’s why I got rid of it.  Because I am pretty sure having a short, half-Jewish kid would be a dead giveaway.  I mean, that nose though.”  Emma was just rambling at this point, blasted out of her god damn mind.  “I had it down to a science.  At first, I only did it to get a head at work.  You know, give the boss a handy, suck a little dick, maybe eat out a lady or two.  Then-then I met you.  I decided, _hell,_ I needed a challenge.  But then, I met Lorena and Iris, and I saw how you all were just good people.  And you liked me, you all really, really liked me.”

_Was she really tearing up?_

“So, I decided out of respect for my new friend, I would back off.  And after she died, you were destroyed, and I thought I loved you.”

As she walked over to the ashtray on the table, Emma’s expression hardened, and she sounded angry again.  “But, I am _not_ a good person, Garcia.  I am _not_ reformed.  I am _not_ the kind of woman who can just find love and have a happily ever after.  I have to destroy everything I touch.  Every. God. Damn. Thing.”

“You’re being dramatic,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“How’s Lucy?  Maybe I should go over to her house and tell her how you really feel.  Tell her all about how her friend would love to take her against the wall, how he would love to show her what a _real_ man can do.  Do you think she’d want to be around you then?”

“God, I swear Emma, you stay the fuck away from Lucy!” 

Flynn felt his face growing warm.  Yes, he had thoughts about Lucy and feelings for her, _but he wasn’t going to tell her_.

“It’s written all over you,” she spat, “you judge me, but you aren’t any better.  You'll see.”

“You…”  Flynn took a breath, steeling himself, “I am not going to do this with you, Emma.  I am not going to play games.  Thank you for being there for me when I lost my family.  I am sorry that I didn’t have the sense to just stay friends, or whatever.”

The woman looked ready to pounce again.  Flynn wasn’t going to let her though.

“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.  Good luck, with everything.”

And that, he assumed, was the end of that. 

* * *

The day of her mother’s dedication had arrived.  At this point, she would’ve rather gotten ten tetanus shots in her ass than go to this thing.  She had no idea if Garcia would really show up.  She didn’t take him for a man that would make empty promises _(unlike a certain other man she knew)._ At least Amy and Dave would be there.  She’d have them at least. 

Riddled with an anxious energy, she decided to go work out.  It didn’t help.  She felt more amped when she walked out, than when she’d gone in.  She was worried about what her mother might say, _or worse_ , might think, about her bringing Garcia.  _Would she tell Wyatt?  No, no she wouldn’t._   If there was one thing Lucy was certain about, it was the fact that her mother _abhorred_ her husband.  Perhaps if she brought Garcia, her mother would be mortified that she brought a date that wasn’t her husband, and she’d leave her alone for the night.  But with Lucy’s luck, her mother would draft up divorce papers for her and Wyatt by the night’s end and have her and Garcia married by the next.  Maybe a shower would help her relax, or a bath, with lots and lots of wine.  If she gets drunk enough, her mother won’t want her there, right? 

She pulled into the driveway and locked her car.  She walked up the front steps and had her key in the door, as she heard someone walking up the stairs behind her.  Panic stricken, she fidgeted nervously with the lock.  The keys slipped from her fingers and fell to the porch floor.  She bent down and picked them up.  A pair of woman’s shoes came into view as she bent down.  Lucy took a deep breath and spun around, keys now gripped between her thumb and index finger.

“You the wife?” the woman asked.

“Excuse me?”

“ _Are you_ Wyatt’s wife?”

“Y-Yes.  Who are you?”

“Wyatt’s girlfriend,” the woman stated matter-of-factly.

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb.  I think you’ve known for a while now.”

Lucy just stood there, mouth wide open, in complete shock. 

“Okay, maybe you didn’t know.  Well, you do now.”

“No, no.  This is some sort of joke or a prank right?  Where is Wyatt?”

“God, you _are_ dense.  No wonder why he cheated.”

Shocked to her core, the words coming out of this woman’s mouth were just not registering in Lucy’s brain. 

“Just let him go.  You _obviously_ can’t make him happy.  _We_ deserve to have a shot at a happy family,” the woman declared, as she placed her hand on her stomach.

Lucy’s eyes shot to the woman’s hand, then back up to her face, and back to her stomach again.  Had she actually eaten anything for breakfast this morning, she would’ve vomited. 

“You’re-you’re?” Lucy stammered.

“Yes, I’m pregnant.  So, I came here to tell you to leave him alone, because I _am_ going to fight for my family!”

“How?  How long?”

“Almost a year.”

“A year?”

“Yes, a year!” the woman yelled, as she shook her head.

“Who-who are you?”

“Jessica.”

“Jessica who?”

“Anderson.”

Lucy still hadn’t processed all of this, when she noticed Garcia’s car pull into her driveway.  He exited the car and took one look at her.  The tears she had held back up to this point, cascaded down her face like a waterfall. 

“Lucy?”

She heard his voice.  She knew she heard it, but the sobs silenced every other sound.  When she opened her eyes, he was right next to her.

“I don’t know what you’re so upset about.  Clearly, you have no problem being a homewrecker either, since you’ve apparently moved on,” Jessica stated, as she waved an arm towards Flynn.

Some primal creature inside Lucy growled.  The tears stopped, and she raised her head and glowered at Jessica. 

“He’s my _brother_ ,” Lucy barked.

Jessica eyed the both of them and rolled her eyes. 

“Like I believe that one.  Just do us both a favor and end it for everyone’s sake.”

Then she turned, walked down the driveway, got in her car and was gone.  Lucy turned, like nothing at all had just happened, and attempted to put her key back in the lock.  Her hands shook uncontrollably.  Garcia gently took her hand in his, and pulled the keys away from her.  He opened the door and extended his arm, allowing her the right to enter first.  He peered back at the street, as he shut the door.

“Lucy,” he said softly, “Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”

“I will, just-just let me get a shower and get dressed first, okay?”

He nodded his head and she disappeared up the stairs. 

* * *

Flynn changed his clothes in the downstairs bathroom, as Lucy got ready, or at least he thought she was getting ready.  When he went to check on her, she was sitting on her bed, wrapped in a towel, her hair almost dry.  She was looking at her hand, staring at her wedding ring.

“Lucy?”

She seemed to come back to herself then.  Looking up at him, she gave him a faint smile.

“What, uh, what happened?  With that lady?”

“Well, that was Jessica.  Apparently, Wyatt got her pregnant.”

Lucy closed and opened her eyes, making tears fall.

“We don’t have to go to this, if you just want to stay here and talk, or hang out?”

“No, I have to go.  My mom founded the department.  She is a legend and I’m delivering the dedication speech.”

“You know, it’s none of my business, but my experience with pregnant women is that often things aren’t as they seem.  Maybe this woman was shut down by Wyatt, and is now trying to get payback.  She might not even be telling the truth.”

Flynn walked over to the bed and sat next to her, taking her hand.  Slowly, he thumbed her wedding ring.

“Wyatt would be insane to jeopardize his relationship with you.  I don’t know why I am saying this, but maybe give him the benefit of the doubt?  Maybe, he didn’t just make the absolute worse decision of his life?”

“Maybe,” she mumbled.

 He pulled his hand away.

“You need to get ready.  So, what dress are you wearing?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Well then, I’ll will have to dress you,” he said, smirking.  “I mean, I will have to pick out what you wear, that is.”

Lucy chuckled awkwardly, “Sure.”

Ten minutes later, Flynn had picked out the perfect little black dress, complete with accessories and strappy heels.

“Wow.” 

Lucy’s eyes brightened up.  She looked legitimately impressed. 

“This is going to look great.  Wait in here.  I’ll get dressed in the bathroom real quick.”

Flynn did as he was told.  When Lucy came back in the room, she looked amazing, except the dress wasn’t fully zipped in the back.

“Help?  My arms are too short.”

“Of course,” Flynn agreed.

Lucy twisted her hair behind her head, as she walked up to him and turned around.  Somehow, seeing half of her back exposed to him, with her black, lacey bralette peeking out, was far more intimate than seeing her almost naked in that bikini the other day.  Fighting his desire to drop a kiss on her neck, he slowly zipped up her dress.  When he looked up, he noticed Lucy staring at him in the mirror.  She was biting her lip.

“I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“Calling you my brother.  Garcia, I know that’s not what this is.”

Well, that was a definite surprise.  Flynn had never expected Lucy to assume there was anything going on between the two of them.  After a pause, he braved the question, his voice coming out unbearably raw.  “So, then, what is _‘this,’_ Lucy?”

Lucy suddenly looked as if she had been caught stealing.  She immediately straightened up, and looked away.  She was putting her mask on.

No, Flynn wouldn’t have it.  Not with him.

He walked to her dresser and grabbed her beloved locket.  Presenting it to her, he made a gesture asking permission to proceed.  She nodded, holding her hair up again.

“I don’t know if that is good enough or fancy enough,” she said, her voice trembling.  “This is a rather elegant occasion.”

“I assure you, Lucy.  With you wearing it, it’s perfect.”

Their eyes locked in the mirror, and Lucy released her hair with a small smile.  Flynn then clasped her shoulders, in what he intended to be a supportive manner, and gave her a kiss on the crown of her head.  Suddenly, the moment seemed to grow heavy.

Lucy turned around, her eyes staying on his.  A question danced there.  It was one that neither of them could ask yet.  Just as she reached up to touch his face, or hug him (Flynn couldn’t be sure), her phone rang.

“Oh!” Lucy jumped, “that’s Amy’s ringtone. One sec.”

She then turned and disappeared into her bathroom.  Flynn released a breath he had been holding.

“Lucy, I am going to wait in the car.”

“Oh, okay!  Be out in a minute, Garcia!”

He then heard her explain to her sister that, “Yeah, Garcia is taking me.  No, Wyatt couldn’t be here, and maybe he will never be here again.  Oh, I’ll tell you what he did.”

_Yeah, he was going to be waiting for a while._

* * *

When Lucy got into the car, she wasn’t sure if she was more pissed off or turned on right now.  She had just informed Amy of what had happened today, which had her seeing red all over again.  Yet, the second she turned to look at Garcia, it all seemed to melt away and sent her mind back to her bedroom.  The way he stared at her in the mirror, the way he slowly pulled the zipper up on her dress, the way he gently placed the locket around her neck.  _That, turned her on, big time._ She had almost crossed a line that she wouldn’t be able to take back.  It too would have undoubtedly ended in disaster like the rest of her life. 

When they arrived at the gala, Lucy’s nerves got the better of her.  She wasn’t anxious about giving the dedication speech, being used to lecturing all the time.  What she was nervous about, was her mother’s insane ability to dissect every aspect of her behavior.  _She’s going to know something is wrong the minute she sees her._

They entered the ballroom and Lucy spotted Amy and her husband, Dave, immediately.  She hurried towards them, but her mother cut her off. 

“Mom, hi.”

“Lucy, where is Wyatt?” Carol asked, as she eyed up Garcia.

“Not here.  I brought my friend, Garcia, with me.”

She introduced the two of them.  She was quite sure she held her breath the entire time.  Lucy was just thankful her mother was polite enough to him.  Carol was then pulled away by a colleague of hers, and Lucy drug Garcia over to Amy and Dave.  They chatted for a few moments, and then Lucy turned to Garcia.

“I have to go give my speech now.  I leave you in the _hopefully_ good hands of my baby sister.”

He winked at her.  “Knock ‘em dead.”

Lucy had never had any issues with public speaking, so why was she having a slight panic attack as she walked up on the stage?  She purposefully avoided glancing in Garcia’s direction the entire time.  Normally, the man had this uncanny ability to calm her down and make her feel all would eventually be right with the world.  But, she knew if she even peeked over at him, she might just get lost in those dreamy green eyes of his. 

Applause filled the room as she finished the dedication.  Lucy hurried back to the table where Garcia, Amy and Dave sat.  She was glad at least that part of the night was over.  And then it happened.  Suddenly, the table was practically surrounded with a few of her colleagues from the history department, including, the head of the department, Nathaniel Ridley.  They all praised Lucy for her speech and then Ridley stuck his hand out to Garcia.

“You must be Lucy’s elusive husband.  Nathaniel Ridley, Head of the History Department.”

Lucy opened her mouth to correct his misconception, but Garcia leaned forward and shook the man’s hand.

“Garcia, nice to meet you.”

“Your wife is quite something, isn’t she?  I know the department is surely proud of her.”

Lucy’s eyes bugged out of her head, as she glanced up at Garcia.

“Yes, yes she _is_.”

Lucy blushed profusely, and then excused herself to the ladies room.  _What the hell just happened?_   She took a few deep breaths, stared at her reflection in the mirror, and then went back out to the gala. 

“There you are,” Carol called.

Lucy closed her eyes.  _Not now, Mom._ Carol wrapped her arm around Lucy’s and pulled her over to a corner.

“So, what’s the deal with the two of you?”

“What do you mean?  We’re just friends.”

“Lucy-Lucy I know you better than that.  Something else is going on here.  Are you having an affair with him?”

“What?  No!  _I_ am not the one who has been unfaithful.”

The words just spewed out of her.  She hadn’t planned on saying anything about Wyatt in front of her tonight if she could help it. 

“Oh, Lucy.  I warned you.  I told you not to marry that-that-soldier.”

“Great.  You warned me.  Excuse me, my date looks at little lonely,” Lucy stated as she extricated herself from the situation. 

She never made it to her seat, as Garcia had taken her hand and led her onto the dance floor.  She warned him about how clumsy she was.  He insisted.  Her heart thumped in her chest when his arms wrapped around her.  She gazed up at him and all she thought about was that she _really_ wanted to kiss him right now.  His arms anchored her to safety, and she wanted desperately to remain there.  _He’s married.  You can’t do this._   The proverbial angel versus devil scenario played through her mind for the rest of the gala.  _Does she, doesn’t she?_  

* * *

After the gala, Flynn drove Lucy home.

“You know, everyone loved you,” Lucy said, beaming.  “A lot of people assumed you were Wyatt, not just Ridley.  Of course, they don’t know his name, but you know what I mean.  And, you are great at dancing!”

“Thank you.  Lorena made me learn,” Flynn said, with a smile. 

It was nice to remember her.

“I, uh, guess you should be getting back to Emma now?” Lucy asked, a look of trepidation in her eye.

_Where was she going with this?_

Slowly, Lucy threaded her fingers through his.

“Uh, Garcia?”

“Yeah?”

“Where’s your ring?”

“I took it off after we left the gala.”

“Why?”

“Actually, Emma and I are getting a divorce.”

“What?  Are-are you okay?”

Lucy’s concern was touching.

“Oddly enough, yeah, I think so.”

“What happened?”

“She cheated,” Flynn said flatly.  “Apparently, a lot.”

“Wow, haven’t we just hit the jackpot with spouses?” Lucy said, with a sarcastic laugh.

“I am sorry about Wyatt.  But, Lucy, you don’t know if that woman is telling the truth.  She came here accusing him.  Definitely talk to him first.”

Flynn looked over to see Lucy nodding; however, her hand laid loosely at his thigh.  When he noticed it, she squeezed.  _What was she doing?_

“Garcia.  I-.”

“You should get inside.  Before your sprinklers go off.”

“Yeah, uh, you’re right.”

Lucy opened the car door, and looked back at him for a moment. “Thanks for everything.  I mean it, Garcia.”

Flynn just gave her a smile and a nod.  He wanted to say more, but he couldn’t: not without risking their entire friendship.  He watched her walk to the door, and vaguely wondered if she’d need help getting the dress off, if she had needed help getting it on.  Maybe he could offer.

_No.  No.  No._

As he was about to shift into drive, he noticed Lucy’s purse in the passenger seat. _Okay, well she definitely needed that back, right?_

Grabbing the purse, he walked up to her door.  After taking a breath, he knocked.  A very wide-eyed and smiling Lucy answered.

“You forgot your-”

He didn’t get anything else out, because she had pulled him down by his tie and was now kissing him.  And he was kissing her back.

* * *

 _The purse thing had worked_.  As soon as Lucy saw Garcia at the door, she had pulled him down by his tie and kissed him hard on the mouth.  It wasn’t graceful, but it also wasn’t chaste.  As he gathered himself, he responded with earnest and deep kisses, the force of which knocked the wind out of Lucy.  As she wrapped her arms around his neck, he picked her up by her ass cheeks. Lucy felt a thrill, being at the mercy of this man: so tall, so powerful, yet so gentle.  And all of that strength and power was focused on her.  _Hmmm...._

Slowly, he backed her into the house, kicking the door shut as an after-thought.  Getting her against the closet door in the hall, she wrapped her legs around his waist.  He continued to kiss her lips, then her neck.  Then, she could feel him hard against her, as his hands began to skim up her thighs.  _Oh, she wanted_... Fuck it, she began to undo his tie.

Suddenly, he stopped, as if he had been shocked by a cattle prod.  As his body stiffened and he withdrew his hands, Lucy slowly slid down him until both of her feet were firmly planted on the ground.  He stepped back in horror (or so it seemed).  Then, with two fingers, he gently grazed his lips, and looked at Lucy as if he were a deer staring into headlights.  He wasn’t angry, he just looked bewildered.

Without a word, he left.

 

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy confronts Wyatt about his cheating. Lucy has an unexpected late-night visitor. Flynn makes a decision about Lucy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: smut ahead!

                                       

 

* * *

What had she _done?_   She had basically thrown herself at her married friend.  _Her friend._   At first, she felt the thrill, as it rushed through her body like a lit fuse.  He kissed her back.  Well, he did a little more than that.  She honestly loved every freaking minute of it.  The power and rush of basically living out a fantasy for a few moments was both addictive and intoxicating. 

She didn’t sleep at all that night.  She replayed the entire evening over and over in her head.  How could she have been so stupid?  He just told her he was getting a divorce because his wife cheated.  What part of that meant he would do the same with her?  Had she truly decided to end her marriage?  Could she annihilate her life for a kiss?

She dozed in and out of consciousness during the early morning.  Her sleep hadn’t been restful at all, so by noon, she just got up.  She glanced at her phone more than once, in the hope there would be a text or voice mail: something. 

As she stared at her phone, she was reminded once more of Wyatt.  She needed to confront him.  She wanted to do it in person.  He was a shit liar.  She always could tell.  But she could only call him and pray he answered. 

She picked up the phone, clicked on his contact and listened as the phone rang.  He picked up on the fourth ring.

“Luce?  Everything okay?”

“I honestly don’t know.  Is there something you haven’t told me?”

“You’re making no sense.”

“Who’s Jessica?”

Silence.  The silence was enough of a response.  She knew in her gut, that at least something had happened between them. 

“Jessica?  Oh, Jessica Anderson.  She’s just a friend, why?”

“Just a friend?  She came by yesterday.  Had _lots_ of interesting things to say.”

“Really?  Um, I, uh…”

“You cheated with her, didn’t you?  You can’t deny it.  I hear it in your voice,” Lucy said, as the tears streamed down her cheeks. 

“Luce, I fucked up.  It was a while ago and it was only a couple of times.”

“That’s supposed to matter?  She also claimed she was pregnant with your child.  Is that true?”

“I-I…”

“ _Is, that, true_?” she screamed.

“Maybe?”

Her worse fears had been realized.  _You have got to be kidding me.  How could she have been so blind?_  

“Goodbye, Wyatt.”

She hung up.  He called back right away, but she hit the ignore button.  He called and called until Lucy shut her phone off completely.  Today had turned out to be distressing, to say the least, and the day wasn’t even over yet. 

She tried to write more of her next book, clean, read, watch TV, but none of it had helped her get out of her own head.  She vacillated back and forth between Garcia and Wyatt.  Both relationships had been blown to smithereens.  The first, she had no one to blame but herself, and the other, she guessed she had to be at least partially to blame.  Wyatt had obviously cheated because she was lacking in some way.  _Never good enough.  She should use that as a mantra._   _She wasn’t even good enough for a one-night stand with a man who was recently separated._  

Lucy unraveled by the second.  She was angry, depressed and lost all at once.  She needed someone to talk to, but she couldn’t even explain it, so how could she talk to anyone about it? 

She needed to try to calm down, so she went upstairs and drew a hot bath.  She also decided to drown her sorrows in a bottle of wine.  She didn’t even bother with a glass, just drank straight out of the bottle, as she soaked in the tub. 

She stayed in the tub for way too long, her hands and feet beyond pruned by this point.  It was almost midnight, yet she knew sleep would not come right now.  She just sat in the tub, as her arm hung over the side with an empty bottle of wine.  She needed to get out, the water cold by this time, but she didn’t have the energy.

Suddenly, someone pounded on her front door, which startled her.  The doorbell rang as well, multiple times.  She jumped out of the tub, threw on her robe, and flew down the stairs.  _Maybe, just maybe it was Garcia?_  

She flung the front door open to find Emma standing there. 

“Emma, what-what are you doing here?”

Emma pushed Lucy hard and barreled her way into the house.  Lucy shut the door, so as to not disturb her neighbors at such a late hour. 

_“Where the fuck is he?”_

“Who?  Garcia?  Why would you think he’d be here?  It’s midnight.”

“Don’t-don’t play fucking coy with me you skaaank.”

“Emma, you’re drunk.  Really, really drunk.  Did you drive here?” Lucy asked in horror.

“Hell no.  I took an Uber.”

_And she thought she was inebriated._

“So, the fuck what?  I _know heees heeeere, LooocE.”_

Emma stumbled up Lucy’s stairs to the second floor.  She opened every door in search of her husband.

“Get out of my house, now!” Lucy screamed.  “Your husband is not here.”

Emma ignored her completely and proceeded to careen from the wall to the railing, as she staggered back down to the first floor.  She searched the kitchen next, and Lucy was beside herself about what to do.  She just wasn’t getting through to her.

“I know you’re fucking my husband.  I know you are.  I saw the two of you in the store.  Where the hell is he?”

She went in between coherent thoughts and unintelligible slurs.  Emma’s rage grew with every passing second.  Lucy was scared.  She didn’t know what to do.  Should she call the police?  Should she call Garcia?

Lucy tried to lead Emma towards the front door.  _Perhaps she could shove her out the door_.  Suddenly, Emma snapped and lunged at Lucy.  She caught her by the hair and yanked out a chunk before Lucy even knew what had happened. 

The next thing she knew, Emma’s hands were around her throat.  Lucy couldn’t breathe. 

“Stop fucking my husband, kay?”

She let go of her neck and Lucy gasped for air.  She walked into the door, as she tried to open it. 

And with that, she was gone.  Lucy stood there on her front porch, in only her robe, as she watched Emma fall into the car.  It wasn’t a cold night, yet she shivered from head to toe.

Slowly, she backed up until she was in her house and then shut the front door.  Her hands shook as she locked it.  _What the hell just happened?  Her friend just attacked her.  Straight up attacked her._  

She felt unsafe in her own house.  Her heart thundered in her chest.  She still felt like she wasn’t getting enough air to her lungs.  Panic-stricken, she decided to do the only thing she could think of.  She picked up her phone and turned it on.  She ignored the number of missed calls and voicemails from Wyatt.  She selected his name and hit the call button, then took a deep breath.

* * *

Flynn woke up to his phone buzzing.  He had set it so that it would only ring for Lucy.

Yes, the kiss was unexpected. Yes, he had reciprocated and then freaked out a bit. But he had been hoping she would call, that they could talk; that he could explain himself. He cared about her, he wanted her. Flynn just needed to know he wasn’t payback for Wyatt cheating on her.  He needed to know that she felt the connection he felt; that she actually wanted him, too.

Looking at his phone, he realized it was after midnight.  _This couldn’t be good._

"Lucy?  Are you okay?”

“Garcia?  I-I don’t know...”

She sounded panicked, confused.

“Lucy, what happened?”

“I was... Emma-Emma showed up, looking for you.  She-”

Flynn could hear the panic in her voice, the fear there.

“Did Emma hurt you?  Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.  I just-I don’t feel safe here.”

“I’ll come and get you.”

“No.”

“What?”

“Just give me the address where you are.  Don’t come here.  I don’t want Emma to see you.  I don’t know.  She was being erratic.  I don’t want her to hurt you.  I’ll just come to you.”

“I’ll text you the address.  Keep texting me, okay?  If I don’t hear from you, I’ll call the cops and come over.”

“Okay, Garcia.  Thank you.”

“Of course.  I’m here, Lucy, okay?”

“Okay.  I’ll see you soon.”

What the hell did Emma do?  As Flynn got ready for Lucy to come over, he remade the bed and set himself up on the couch.  He wasn’t going to make any assumptions, and sure as hell wasn’t going to take advantage of his panicked friend.  About forty-five minutes after her call, Lucy knocked on the door.

“Hey.”

Flynn grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the motel room, along with her bags.  Immediately, he took her face in his hands and surveyed her, looking for any trace of abuse.

“Did she hurt you?”

“Um...”

Lucy looked away, tears welling in her eyes.  When she turned her neck, he saw it: a bruise.

“Oh my god, Lucy.” 

He ran his fingers along the bruise and then ushered her into his arms.  “I’m so sorry.  This is my fault.  I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

“You had no way of knowing she would do that, that she would come over to my house,” Lucy said, finally looking at him.  “It’s not your fault.”

“I told her not to,” separating himself from her, Flynn rubbed his forehead and turned around.  “Emma accused me of having an affair with you.  Said she could see it.  I told her to leave you alone.”

“Yeah, she said the same thing to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“She isn’t wrong.  I mean, about what she saw- the chemistry.”

Flynn could feel Lucy behind him, as she slowly put her hand in his, prompting him to turn to face her.

“Garcia, I-I didn’t mean to make things weird between us.  I just-I can’t help myself.”

At that, Flynn pulled her into his arms.  What could he say, when he felt it too?

“Lucy, we-we can’t.  I can’t be the reason you and Wyatt don’t work out.  I can’t break a family apart.”

“Wyatt has a family now, with Jessica.  I called him.  He told me it’s true.”

Flynn let out a long breath.  That moron.  What the fuck was he thinking, cheating on Lucy?  She was the best thing that could have happened to that ungrateful bastard.  The very thought had Flynn seeing red.

“You know what you need?” Flynn asked Lucy, pulling her back so he could see her fully.  “You need a proper meal and proper sleep.  I am going to make you something.  Is breakfast food okay?”

Lucy just stared up at him in wonder.  Then, nodding, she said yes.

So, he made her eggs, toast, and bacon, and they watched meaningless reality TV.  After an hour or so, Lucy fell asleep curled up at Flynn’s side.  Slowly, he extracted himself from her, more so out of respect for her space.  God, he would have loved to have held her all night, but it just wasn’t right.  She was far too emotional right now.  After tucking her in, he went and laid on the couch.  Listening to the soothing sound of Lucy’s soft breathing, he fell asleep.

* * *

 

Before dawn, Flynn woke to a soft touch on his face.  As he opened his eyes, he saw Lucy standing over him, her eyes soft, the expression on her face affectionate.

“Lucy?  Are you alright?”

Pressing a finger against his lips, she shushed him. The moment was tense, and Flynn couldn’t help himself, as her hand bloomed over his cheek and mapped out his face, he turned into her touch and kissed her wrist. 

As Lucy continued to look at him, Flynn let his hand roam her arm and then down her to her waist- it was then he noticed that she was wearing his tshirt. 

She climbed onto the couch and straddled him.  Peeling off the t-shirt, she revealed all of the nothing she was wearing underneath. He could hardly believe what was happening. Swallowing hard, He willed himself to do something, say something, _anything_... Instead, Flynn’s hands instinctively steadied her hips above his.

“The bed smells like you,” she whispered, leaning forward and causing her hair to cascade down her shoulders. The scent of her rose shampoo was intoxicating. “I guess, I just… I can’t help myself.”

As she spoke, Flynn felt himself harden against her.  God, she was perfect.  Ivory skin for miles; her slightly rounded hips over him; her legs smooth against his palms, as he brushed them cautiously. And her breasts, they were just begging to be touched, to be kissed.  Flynn wondered if he was dreaming again, but as his hands skimmed up her stomach, between her breasts and came up to hold her face, he knew he wasn’t.

Pulling her down, he kissed her softly.  The kiss quickly turned into something heated, as his fingers trailed over her skin.  He needed her soft skin under his fingertips, he needed to feel her: all of her.  When he opened his eyes, Lucy was looking at him.  Her hair was like a tent around them, making it feel as if they were in their own little world. As he kissed her again, his hands mapped out her body, and Lucy began to rock her hips against him.

 _“Garcia,”_ she moaned, while he kissed her neck ans trailed down to her breast.

Taking her in his mouth, he teased and tweaked her nipple, making her shudder in pleasure.  While planting kisses along her chest, his hand found her center.

_“Garcia, please.”_

God, she was so wet... _and for him_.

“Hmmm,” she moaned pleasantly, as he ran his fingers against her.

Slowly, he worked his way through her folds. Finding her entrance, he inserted a finger, making Lucy whimper.  After working her open, he slipped in another, making her moan and arch her back.  Instinctively, she worked her hips up and down on his fingers, as he gently massaged her walls.  When he thumbed her clit, her legs shook, and she let out a cry.

That was it.  He couldn’t handle it anymore.  Lucy whined as he pulled his fingers out, but she laughed pleasantly when he picked her up and pretty much threw her on the bed.  Getting his mouth on hers, he was almost frantically kissing her.  She tugged on his shirt, and he pulled it off, wasting no time, he worked his way down her body. As he opened her legs and kissed up her inner thigh, he could hear her whispering, _“Yes, yes... please.”_

He didn’t want to keep her waiting.  She obviously needed this release- and goddamn it, he was going to give it to her.  Setting his mouth to her, he licked through her folds.  Finding her clit, he began to swirl his tongue over her.  He put his fingers in her again and alternated between breathing on her and sucking hard on her clit.  As he sped up inside her, Lucy began to shudder.  Her back arched and her muscles tightened, as her hips worked against Flynn’s mouth. 

Soon enough, she was crying out incoherently, and pulling his hair. Soon enough, her hands began to pull at the sheets, and her body arched. Flynn felt a current snap through her body as she tightened around him. Moments later, she was laughing and sobbing all at once. After coming down, she tugged on his shoulders.

As Flynn kissed up her body, Lucy hooked her toes over the waistband of his sweatpants.  By the time he reached her, his cock was naked against her. Between kisses, Lucy directed Flynn beneath her. 

“I’m going to fuck you now," she said with a dangerous glint in her eye, her voice was deliciously low and sultry.

“Yes, please,” he said, he wondered if she could hear his heart thundering in his chest. 

As Lucy kissed him, Flynn’s body shuddered under her soft lips.  He could tell she loved it, the way he sucked in a breath when she hit a sensitive spot. When her hand reached his cock, she worked it with a satisfying hum, before she separated her folds and sunk down over him.

Flynn couldn’t help himself, he rose up to hold her.  He had to.  He _needed_ to hold her. 

"Enough of that for now," She said, as she pushed him down. With his hands holding her hips, he watched her rise and fall over him. As her hips began to stutter, she leaned forward to kiss him.  Flynn grabbed her bottom and pulled her closer.  She was tightening around him, getting close to climaxing again- he could feel it. Taking over, he angled his legs and lifted his hips to thrust into her.  Lucy received him with lustful cries until her walls squeezing hard around him.  As she fell apart, Flynn joined her, coming with her name on his lips.

* * *

Long after the sun rose, Flynn woke with Lucy in his arms.  Checking the clock, it was-holy shit-it was three in the afternoon.  Flynn looked at his phone.  He had several texts from Emma, and even one from Wyatt, who was asking if he knew where Lucy was.  Apparently, Wyatt had come to the house that day.  Flynn texted Wyatt that he didn’t, sorry.

“Lucy.”

Flynn hated to wake her, but with Wyatt there, he had to, right?

“Hmm?”

She stirred, rubbing her hand on his chest.  Lifting herself up, Lucy kissed him on the cheek.  “Was it just me or was that amazing?”

Flynn couldn’t help but laugh.  Of course, it had been amazing.  The woman he wanted for what felt like so long, was in his arms and he had been inside her.  He had never made love to anyone the way he had with Lucy last night.  The talking had been minimal.  They just followed each other’s cues, and let things flow naturally.  God, he wanted to do it again.

“It was better than amazing.  It was perfect.”

That made Lucy laugh shyly against his chest.  Before Flynn could tell Lucy about Wyatt, she disappeared under the covers.  Flynn could feel her warming up his body with her hands.  She was caressing him, kissing him, licking him.  After a few minutes, he felt her take him in her mouth.  He couldn’t see her, but he could feel everything she did.  Her hand turning and pumping his dick, as she sucked, licked, stroked and then took him deep in her throat.

It didn’t take long before Flynn’s hips were bucking against her.  He tried to lift the covers, to get her to let go before he came in her mouth, but Lucy had the covers bunched in her hands.  She sucked harder and harder, massaged under the shaft, and made the most delicious moans.  In no time, Flynn was coming, and he couldn’t stop himself.

As Lucy got out of bed, she made no effort to cover herself.  When she reached the bathroom door, she turned around and looked at Flynn.

“You gonna join me or what?”

_Well, goddamn._

* * *

Lucy stood at the door to Garcia’s hotel room and kissed him goodbye.  The man’s tongue was quite talented (in her humble opinion, anyway).  It glided and twisted with her own so perfectly, it felt like they had been lovers for an eternity, not just a night. 

“You sure you don’t want me to go with you?  Wyatt’s not exactly known to be mild-mannered.  His temper is almost legendary.”

“No.  That will just make this worse.  I can handle him.  If I need you, I’ll call.”

He pulled her in and kissed her again, almost as if it might be for the last time.  His hand caressed her cheek, as he gazed deeply into her eyes.  His expression was so soft and loving, she felt like she had just been bathed in warm sunlight, as she frolicked through a field of sunflowers.  She had never _ever_ felt this way.  Not even with Wyatt.  Not even when she thought she had known what happiness was.

She backed away from Garcia, as she stared into his eyes.  She was about to turn and walk back to her car when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back into him.  Both of his hands held her face, and he gazed at her momentarily, before slowly, softly and deeply kissing her again.

“Call me.  I need to know you’re okay.”

She practically skipped back to the car.  On the drive home, she happily hummed along to the radio, as the rays of the setting sun radiated into the vehicle. 

But as dusk set in, and she got closer to her house, the dread and anxiety returned.  She didn’t really want to deal with Wyatt right now.  If it was up to her, she’d never had to deal with him again.  That wasn’t realistic and she knew it.  Even if their marriage was now over, they still needed to finalize a divorce, which meant she’d still have to deal with him.  Garcia was right, Wyatt had a nasty temper.  She would need to be careful.  It was her decision to start something with Garcia.  He hadn’t initiated anything.  She didn’t want Wyatt doing something to him.  She would never forgive herself if he did.  Never.

The uber pulled into her driveway.  She saw Wyatt’s truck, and took a huge breath.  _Here goes nothing_.

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy confronts Wyatt. After confronting Wyatt, Lucy seeks out Flynn to ascertain exactly how he feels and what he wants from her. Sex, lots of sex.

Lucy took another deep breath and opened her front door.  Wyatt was in the kitchen on his cell.  He glanced towards the door, and quickly hung up when he saw her.

“Lucy!  Where have you been?  I’ve been so worried.  No one knew where you were.”

“I was out,” she replied with a glare.

“Your car was here.”

“It’s called Uber, Wyatt.”

He moved closer to her and she stepped back. 

“Lucy, I’m sorry.  I screwed up.  We need to talk about this.  It’s over with Jessica.  I love you, and only you.”

She stared icily back at him for a few beats.

 “I don’t think you know the meaning of the word.  You don’t love someone and cheat on them and have a family with that other person.  That’s not love.”

“She’s lying about the baby.  We used condoms.  She’s not pregnant with my child, if she’s pregnant at all.”

He tried to pull her in his arms again, but she backed up even further.

“Lucy…”

“Don’t touch me!”

Wyatt stood there with a lost puppy dog look on his face.  Tears welled in his eyes.  She hadn’t recalled seeing Wyatt cry, ever.  Not that he was now, but he appeared to be on the verge. 

“I fucked up.  I know you can’t forgive me right now, but we need to fix this, Lucy.  You’re my wife.”

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you stuck your dick in another woman.  Maybe, you could’ve considered my needs and my wants _just once_.  You treat me like I’m a prize you won.  I’m done being your doormat, Wyatt, done.  I can’t do this anymore.”

“Can’t do what?  Us?  No, Lucy, no.  I will do anything to make you trust and believe in me again.  I _can_ change and I _will_ prove it to you.  I’ll even agree to do the adoption since it’s something you want.”

“This is exactly what I’m talking about!  You don’t decide to start a family because it’s what one partner in a relationship wants.  You’ve made your feelings very clear about adoption.  A baby is not going to fix our problems.  They’ve been a long time coming.”

“I can’t lose you Lucy.  I _won’t_ lose you.”

“For the last time, I am not a possession for you to lose!”

“We took vows for better or for worse.  Vows, Lucy.  Til death do us part.  I know that meant something to you.  We swore in front of God and our family and friends.  You’d never go back on your word, your promise.  It’s not who you are.”

“Vows!  You have the gall to lecture me about vows?  What about the part about loving and honoring me?  Did you forget those vows?”

“How many more times can I say I’m sorry, Luce?”

“Until I actually believe you mean it, which I don’t.”

Wyatt threw his hands up in disgust and walked into the kitchen.  He grabbed a beer from the fridge and then proceeded to walk back to the living room, but stopped.  He whipped his head back and peered out the door.

“You finished the deck?” he asked incredulously.  “I was going to finish it, Luce.”

“Really?  When?  When you fix the sink upstairs, or the pipes in the basement?  My house was falling apart and _I_ decided to be an adult and have them fixed properly.”

“Your house?  Isn’t it our house?”

His face grew angrier by the second.  As she inched closer to him, she got a good view of the kitchen and the multiple beer bottles strewn about.  She hadn’t smelled the booze on his breath at first, but she clearly could now.

“No, it’s my house.  Even when you’re home, you’re never here.  I, on the other hand, never leave this place.  You’ve managed to isolate me from my family, my friends, my co-workers.  Yet, you still see your Army buddies all the time.”

“You never leave this place?  Where the hell were you last night then?  And you never answered me about who the man I heard on the phone was.  So, who was it Lucy?” he demanded, as he took a step towards her.

“None of your business!”

“Who the hell was it?” he yelled, as he grabbed her wrists.

“You’re hurting me!  Let go!”

“Who.  The.  Hell.  Was.  It?”

“A repairman!” she screamed.

Finally, he let go of her wrists.  She pulled back so fast she almost fell.  This was now the second time in two days that she had been physically accosted in her own home. 

“Lucy, I’m sorry.  I get jealous.  I know I need to work on that.  I just love you so much.”

She just stood there, frozen in place.  She was beyond confused at this point.  She still loved him.  You can’t just flip a switch and stop loving someone.  Yet, she also felt something for Garcia.  She wouldn’t have slept with him last night, if she hadn’t.  Things with him were complicated too, but not because he was a complicated man.  In fact, she felt at ease when she was with him.  When she was with him, it didn’t seem complicated.  It felt right, like fate had decided to shove her in the direction of her destiny, since she had failed to course correct on her own. 

“Lucy, I’ll go to therapy.  I’ll work on everything, I promise.  Just say you’ll give me the chance.  Please?” he begged.

He dropped to his knees.  He looked so damn pathetic.  She was weak and she knew it.  _Should she give him another chance?  Should she try to save her marriage?_   _Was she only contemplating this because she felt partially to blame for their problems?  Had she only slept with Garcia to get back at Wyatt?  Was there actually the potential for them to have a future together, or was he just lashing out at Emma and getting back at her?_

She couldn’t answer him.  There was too much going on inside her head right now that she needed to figure out. 

“Lucy?  Please?”

“I can’t-can’t answer you right now.  I need time to think, time to decide what is best for me and what _I_ want,” she blurted out.

“Okay.  How much time?”

“I don’t know, Wyatt.  However much time I need.”

“Okay.  I’ll give you as much time as you want.  No pressure.”

He stood back up and gently took her hands in his. 

“I do love you, Lucy.  I’m sorry.  I will tell you I’m sorry for the rest of our lives, if it’s what you want.”

She didn’t recoil from him, but she didn’t reciprocate his affection either.  Then he cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips softly.  He kept his hands on her cheeks, as he pulled back slightly and gazed into her eyes. 

“Lucy, what the-what the hell are those on your neck?  Who-how?  Tell me who did this to you!  I’m going to kill them!” he screamed.

She immediately thought Garcia had marked her up in a visible area and panicked.  _He knew, oh God no._   _She did not want to be responsible for what Wyatt might do to him._  

“Are those bruises?  Lucy…”

_The bruises Emma left, oh thank God!_

“Um, I had a fight with Emma.”

“Emma?  Why?”

“She was really drunk, and she’s also having some problems in her marriage, and she flipped out I guess?”

 _Sounds like a plausible explanation.  She sure as hell couldn’t tell him the real reason._  

He pulled her into a hug, and she stood there for a moment and fell into it.  The fog in her brain cleared a few seconds later, and she jerked away.

“No.  Don’t touch me,” she stated, as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Lucy, you’re obviously upset.  Let’s just go to bed and let me comfort you.  We can talk about everything else in the morning.”

“What?  You’re staying here?”

“Well, this _is_ my house.  Where else would I stay?”

“I thought you’d need to get back to the base.”

“Not yet.”

“Well, I-I can’t stay here with you.  So, I’m going to go now.  I just need to grab a few things first.”

She rushed upstairs and ran into the bathroom.  _What is she doing?  She’s a wreck.  Where is she going to go?_ She knew she could always go to Amy’s, but they had a baby to take care of and she didn’t want to impose on their already hectic lives.  Then she remembered she left her things in Garcia’s hotel room.  She forgot to bring them when she left.  _Had she done that subconsciously?  Was it fate directing her once again?_   She didn’t know, but she owed it to her heart to find out.  The man made her happy, but she didn’t know how he felt about her, or what he wanted or expected.  _Maybe it was just a one night fling?_   She had to know, and the only way to know for sure was to go back there and ask him. 

She packed some additional clothes in a duffel bag and came back downstairs.  Wyatt stood by the door.  His body blocked her exit. 

“Lucy, don’t leave.  I’ll stay in the guest room.  Don’t leave.”

“Move.  You promised me you’d give me time.  Well, I also need space, Wyatt.  Move.  I’m not going to ask again.”

He sighed audibly, but complied. 

She opened the door and exited onto the porch.  She didn’t even bother to shut it, just kept her resolve and walked towards her car. 

“I’m not giving up on us, Lucy!  I love you.”

She ignored him and drove away, as the tears stung her eyes. 

* * *

 

That afternoon, Flynn got restless waiting for Lucy to contact him.   _Was she okay?  Had she told Wyatt about last night?  Was he going to get upset?  He wouldn’t hurt her, would he?_

Unable to calm himself, he poured himself two fingers of whiskey and made a burger.  It was Saturday, so his lawyer wouldn’t be getting back to him until Monday.  Even so, Flynn drew up an email inquiring about a divorce.  When he finished that, he checked his phone.

_Nothing._

Feeling frustrated and wound up, Flynn started to do some stretches to calm himself.  After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door.  Flynn knew that knock.  The sound of dainty, yet surprisingly strong, hands against the door.

_Lucy._

As soon as he opened the door, the woman was in his arms and kissing him almost frantically.  As Flynn backed into the room, Lucy pushed the door closed.  As she wrapped her legs around his waist, she began to kiss his neck.

“How did it go with-?”

Lucy’s head shot back, her chest heaved, as she looked at Flynn with dark eyes.

_God, she was sexy._

“Fuck first, talk later,” she commanded, trailing kisses up to Flynn’s ear and biting it.

He sucked in a breath, as he felt a delicious, yet gentle, burn that made his spine melt.  So, that was how it was going to be?  That was fine.  _He could do rough._  

As Lucy clung to him, Flynn got his hands in her hair, and pulled it loose.  She let out a satisfied laugh, as he pulled her head back slightly and kissed her hard on the lips.  Finding the nearest surface, he set her down and stripped her faster than he thought possible.  Each of her breasts fit perfectly in his hands.  As he kneaded them, she leaned into his touch, and let out a moan when he pinched her slightly.

After gently biting her neck, he soothed it with his tongue and a hard suck, marking her.  God, he hoped she wouldn’t have to explain that to Wyatt.  But, he also felt an odd sense of closeness, as he realized she didn’t stop him.  She did not _want_ him to stop.  Continuing his teasing and soothing, he got his fingers inside her.  When he added another one, she shook under his touch.  Spreading his fingers, he stretched her until she was moaning and shaking from the sensation.

 _“Oh... Oh my god,”_ she moaned, as her hips instinctively rocked forward.

“Shhh, don’t move.  I’ve got you.”

She nodded against his shoulder, her forehead nuzzling against him warmly.

“It feels-it feels... Mmm.”

Her voice was breathy and aroused.  She was melting into his touch.  She needed this, the pressure, the burn, the release.  Starting off slowly, Flynn worked her with gentle thrusts until she loosened up for him.  Gradually, he sped up, until she was breathing hard against him, and starting to pant.  Pushing her legs as open as possible, he pressed his wrist against her clit, and curled his fingers inside her.

She came with a cry of ecstasy, as she bit down on his shoulder. 

When she came down from her high, she jumped off the counter.  With dark eyes, she pressed one finger into his chest.  She was all business, and Flynn felt his dick go from three-quarters to fully erect in less than a second.  Ushering him to the chair in the room, she unbuckled his belt, and used it to pull his neck forward into a deep and sensual kiss.

With a wicked grin, she threw the belt.  Continuing her mission, she unbuttoned his pants and slowly unzipped them, all while staring him dead in the eye.  When she got him bare before her, she began to stroke him gently.

“Sit,” she commanded.

He sat.

Spreading his legs, Lucy knelt down between them, and took him fully in her mouth.  There was no preamble, no build up, just her hot, wet mouth consuming him fully.  Pulling back, she used her hand to continue the pleasure while she spoke.

“Do you like games, Garcia?”

“Yeah,” he said, voice breathy from the sensation.

“Good.  I am going to blow you, but you can’t come until I say, alright?”

“Oh?”

Flynn was intrigued.  This was something he and Lorena had never done.  He found the newness of it exciting, although it did surprise him that Lucy did it so naturally.

“What do I get, if I’m good?”

Lucy stopped her movements, and set him down gently.  She gingerly kissed up his body, pressing as much of herself as possible against him.  When she reached his neck, she took her sweet time trailing kisses to his mouth.  Pulling him back by his hair, she kissed him deeply. Finally, she set her lips by his ear and spoke in a seductive tone.

“Then you get to make love to me, as tenderly as you desire, and for as long as you want.”

He gulped, and turned to Lucy, who was studying his face with a slight smile.  They were so close, and they seemed to be having a silent conversation.  She wrapped her fingers around him again, and began to pump his shaft.

“Do you want that, Garcia?”

Flynn felt his stomach drop.  Oh, he wanted that, yes, he did.  He felt his dick twinge at the idea, and Lucy seemed to feel it too, because she smiled with excitement.  All he could do was nod his head.

She then settled between his legs once again, and Flynn braced his hands on either side of the armchair. 

“Deal?” she asked, confirming his consent.

“Deal.”

Somehow, he held off for over half an hour.  It had been pleasurable, almost soft and tender, and definitely rough and heavy at times.  After he was good for her, they ended up in the bed.  From there, it was all skin, lips and tongues and flesh against flesh.  They were tender together, willing to take the love making slow, and to make it last.  He planted kisses all over her body.  He was certain that if Lucy didn’t feel something for him, this sort of display of desire and affection would have had her running out of the room.  He hoped she could feel his desire?  Want?  No, need.  He hoped she could feel his need for her.  He needed her: like water, like air. 

With their hands intertwined above Lucy’s head, they rocked together, slow and deep.  Everything was electric.  Flynn could feel Lucy’s legs wrapped around his waist, her heels pressing into his back, encouraging his slow and deep thrusts.  As her head fell back onto the pillow and she closed her eyes, Flynn couldn’t help but stare at her.  She was a goddess, and he was offering his body to her, (which really wasn’t much of a sacrifice for him, b _ecause fuck, it felt so goddamn good)._

Suddenly, her breathing picked up, as she started to thrust against him.  She was going to come.  He could feel it.  With her fingers digging into his shoulders and her head against his chest, she came with a soft whine.  It wasn’t like earlier.  That had been rough, carnal.  This-this was soft, languid and dare he say, loving.

As Flynn considered that, he spilled into her. 

* * *

 

He wasn’t sure how long they had slept, but when he woke, Lucy was still curled up in his arms.

“Hey,” she whispered, looking up at him.

“Hey, you.”

Lucy laughed, and kissed his chest, “Did we really just have a sex marathon?”

“I believe we did,” Flynn conceded, “I think we both deserve gold medals.”

“Ha!”

Lucy was smiling, and that smile lit up the room. “I agree.”

“So, do you think we should talk?”

“Probably.”

“How did things go with Wyatt?”

“He wants to give it another try.  He just wants me to forgive him.”

“And you?  What do you want?”

Flynn begged his body not to be so tense as he asked her.  If she wanted to go back to Wyatt, he had to respect that.  But, god, it would hurt.

“I-I don’t know what to do about Wyatt,” Lucy said, “But I do know that I don’t want this to end.”

“This?”

“Us,” Lucy exhaled, “I have never connected with anyone like I connect with you, Garcia.  And, I don’t just mean in bed, even though that is true, too.  I just can’t let it go.”

“Well, you don’t have to make any big decisions today,” Flynn said, tilting her head to look up at him.  “And no matter what Lucy, if you want to go back to him you can.  I mean, I don’t want you to.  I would be sad if you did, but I would respect your decision.  Even though I think I probably treat you better than he does.”

Flynn wished he could read Lucy’s mind, because the look she was giving him gave very little away.

* * *

Lucy stared back at him, as she searched his face for some sort of inkling as to what he really felt.  She just told him she has never had a connection like that with anyone.  Yes, he had said he didn’t want her to go back to Wyatt, and that he’d be sad if she did.  What she didn’t know, is why he’d be sad.  _Was it because he felt the same magical connection she did?  If so, he didn’t tell her.  Was this just about the really great sex for him?_  

She was so scared and confused, but tried her best not to show it.  He did mention that he treated her better than Wyatt.  Although she agreed with that statement, it wasn’t exactly a high bar to begin with.  Sure, he listened to her, thought about her feelings, and comforted her when she needed it.  Most of those things a good friend would do for another.  _Is that what this was, friends with benefits?_  

She had meant what she said.  She couldn’t let this go.  Not right now.  She needed it, needed him, in the worst way possible.  She wanted to explore this connection.  She wouldn’t have jumped into bed with him if she hadn’t. 

She also knew that Wyatt had hurt her deeply, and she shouldn’t be making rash decisions while she was still so emotional.  Yet, she knew herself too well, and she knew she was starting to fall for Garcia.  But, if he didn’t want or envision a future with her, what the hell was the point of all this?   She didn’t want to trash her marriage for nothing.

She also didn’t want to pressure Garcia into anything.  So, her current frame of mind was to take it all day by day.  Maybe, she needed time to herself.  Although, time by herself wouldn’t answer her questions about what he wanted out of all this. 

“I-I need time to sort through all this,” she blurted out.

The hurt expression he flashed back at her tore her up inside.  It was only present for a moment, before he covered it back up with his mask.

“But, I also don’t want to give this, or _you_ up,” she added, as she pulled him down and kissed him deeply.

 _No, she definitely isn’t about to give him up._  

Suddenly, her phone dinged.  Reluctantly, she leaned over and picked it up.  Another text from Wyatt.  She huffed loudly, but opened it anyway.

_Did we get Rufus something for his bday?-Wyatt_

_We didn’t, but I did-Lucy_

_U going to the party 2morrow?-Wyatt_

_Yes, so please don’t show up.-Lucy_

_Y?-Wyatt_

_I told you I needed space.-Lucy_

_Ok.  I won’t go.-Wyatt_

_Thank you.-Lucy_

She felt his arms wrap around her waist, as he kissed her shoulder.

“Who was that?”

“Wyatt.  I told him not to come tomorrow.”

“Good,” he said, as he kissed her shoulder again, “I get you all to myself.”

If he continued to kiss her like this, she might not even make it to the party.  He drove her wild with desire.  She needed to get Wyatt out of her head anyway (leave it to him to ruin her good time). 

She turned and pushed him back on the bed, and he stared back at her with a devastated smirk.  She straddled him and planted kisses down his neck to his chest.  As she got down to his hips, he flipped her over onto the mattress. 

He turned her on her side, her back now to him.  He nibbled on her neck, as his hands massaged her breasts. 

“Do you want me, Lucy?” he whispered into her ear.

_Would screaming fuck yeah be too much?_

“Yes,” she answered breathily.

“How badly?”

She felt his hard cock against her, as he continued to massage her breasts and grind on her. 

 _“Yes,”_ she said, moaning at his touch.  “I want you, _I want you now_!”

As his hot breath hit her neck, he slid into her slowly, and she gasped as she savored the stretch.  He moved slowly, as one hand attended to her breasts and the other moved down to her clit.  His thrusts became harder and faster, and she unraveled more and more.  By the end, she couldn’t tell if she had three orgasms, or just one long one that had built and built until it exploded inside her.  When she came, she breathed heavily and gripped Garcia's hair.  As he kissed her neck, he whispered in her ear about how she was just the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, and that he wished she could see herself from his point of view.  After he slid out of her, Garcia kissed down her back and loosened her muscles with his large, but gentle hands.

 _This man was going to kill her_. 

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Flynn get to know each other better and attend Rufus’ birthday party. Wyatt gets suspicious of Lucy, and takes matters into his own hands.

“What time is it?” Flynn whispered into the darkness, as he and Lucy laid in a heap on the bed, breathing heavily.  Her soft skin was laying half on him, half on the bed, and Jesus, he couldn’t get enough.

“I don’t know.”  Lucy took a deep breath, and let it out slowly before she gave a small laugh.  “What day is it?”

“I’m as lost as you are,” Flynn laughed, as he turned to her and kissed her briefly on the lips. How long had it been?  Two days?  Three days?  God, he didn’t know.  Whatever expanse of time, it had been amazing.  Flynn was more alive than he had been in-well, he couldn’t remember ever feeling like this.  Not even with Lorena, and he had truly loved her.

Lucy got up, murmuring something about water and clothes, and planted a kiss on Flynn’s cheek.  As she walked away, Flynn could faintly see the outline of her curves.  _A goddess incarnate,_ he thought to himself.

With Lucy, everything was different.  It felt like she had always been a part of him, that they had spent their lives in search of one another.  Truthfully, the further he fell in love with her, the more he saw his whole life unraveling at the inevitable loss.  Because that’s what Flynn does; he loves and he loses.  _But fuck, he loves deeply, with all that he is.  But would it be enough?_

“What are you thinking about?”

Lucy’s voice cut through his thoughts.  She was dressed in his t-shirt and drinking a glass of water.  She handed him one, too.  Flynn drank and smiled meekly at her.

“You.”

“I’m flattered.”

“You should be,” Flynn said warmly.  “So, how are you feeling?  About everything?”

“About everything? Well, that’s a lot...”

“Fine, pick one thing.”

“Well, I feel _really good_ about you,” Lucy said, as her hand found his and held it.  “I feel really good about this; what’s between us.”

“That’s good.  I feel good about us, too.”

“Tell me about you, Flynn.”

“What?” he asked, as he laughed.

The man had talked about himself plenty.

“I want to know everything about you. Where do you see yourself in five years? Do you have siblings? Any strange skills? Have you suffered any major medical events?”

“Um, okay.  Well, I have a brother, Gabe.  Strange skills: well, you know about the most important ones.”

Flynn enjoyed watching Lucy’s shy smile, as she punched him playfully. “Okay, okay.  Really, I can bake, knit and sew.”

 _“Sexy,”_ Lucy teased.

“Yeah, that’s what all the ladies say,” Flynn laughed.  “In five years… I’d like to own my own security firm, and it would be great to have someone by my side… someone who is actually on the same page as I am, and wants the same things.”

“What sort of things do you want?”

Flynn noticed that Lucy couldn't quite meet his eyes as she spoke.  Would it be too forward to say he wanted her? Every day, in every way?

“Well a family, really.  I learned I can’t force it though- like I did with Emma.  If it’s right, it’ll happen.  But, I’d love to be a father again.”

The silence was almost too much, as Flynn eyed her.  Were these things she wanted?  Could she ever want a life with him? Swallowing the question, Flynn propped himself up and tucked the hair that was hiding Lucy's face behind her ear. “There, perfect.”

As her eyes met his, she offered a smile. With a sly smile, Flynn spoke again.

“As far as major medical events, I recently had a heart attack.”

“What?” Lucy asked, as her smile fell immediately, “Garcia, all of this-um, _physical activity_ can’t be good for your heart.”

“Really, it’s okay, it was a small one.  Non-life threatening.  In fact, you were there, and didn’t even notice,” he smirked, as Lucy looked shocked. “Remember, you were wearing a bikini and trying to kill me with your perfect body.”

“You’re an ass!” Lucy yelled as she lunged forward to attack him with a kiss.  Catching her, Flynn turned her and pinned her to the mattress.

“Don’t worry, Lucy. I was joking.”

“It wasn’t a good joke,” she said, as she punched his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he genuinely apologized.

He never wanted to worry her.  “I’m not going anywhere, as long as you’ll have me.”

 _“Oh,”_ Lucy breathed, as her hands traveled up his arms to cradle his face, “And if I want to keep you forever?”

“Then by all means, please do.”  Flynn kissed her softly, “However, I do hope to be upgraded from plaything maybe to lead sex slave?  That should be a prestigious title, right?”

Lucy just laughed and kissed him.

 

* * *

 

After he opened his third bottle of beer, Wyatt changed the head on his power drill.  Drinking half of the beer, he caught the bottle between his teeth and got on the ladder.

 _Something wasn’t right with Lucy._ He could feel it.  Yesterday, she had been distant.  She didn’t even put up a good fight.  She seemed glad to leave.  You’d think she would want to work on their marriage.

After all, Wyatt had been her world since they started dating all those years ago. Fuck, he had made sure of that.  It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Lucy, it was just that the world was a dangerous place, and Lucy, well, she wasn’t exactly the strongest person.  She had _needed_ Wyatt, and now, it seemed like she was forgetting that.  The sudden change in character was freaking him out.

So, he was going to get to the bottom of it.  That’s how he ended up here: in the laundry room, installing a video camera.  It was one of five.  He had also put one in the master bedroom, the living room, on the front porch, and the back deck.  If Lucy was hiding something from him, he’d figure out what it was.

The camera wasn’t big.  In fact, Wyatt was able to hide it by some pipes.  Holding his beer in his mouth, he fastened the last nail in the mount.  Losing his balance, Wyatt caught himself by grabbing a section of PVC piping behind him.  He heard a cracking noise, but when he looked at it, the pipe seemed fine.  If not, he could fix it later.

Going back upstairs, Wyatt checked his phone.  He had responses from Jiya and Amy, _finally._ Apparently, Lucy hadn’t stayed with either of them last night or even called them.  _Jesus_. Feeling frustrated and a little buzzed, Wyatt went to the garage to put the drill away.  That’s when he saw it: a toolbox, one that he didn’t remember having.  When he got closer, he saw the name on it: _G. Flynn_.

_What the fuck?_

 

* * *

 

“Lucy, do you think it’s a good idea for us to arrive together?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”  Lucy asked, as she turned into the parking lot of Sassafras, where Rufus’ 1920’s themed Birthday party was taking place.  “I mean, we’re friends.  We’re both friends with Rufus and Jiya.  I think it’s fine.  How did you meet Rufus anyway?”

“I was working on a joint task force with Homeland Security, and we camped out at Mason Industries for a while.”  Flynn gulped as he realized something, “That’s also how I met Emma.  She might be here.  I didn’t think about that.”

Lucy put the car in park and turned to Flynn.  She looked beautiful in her white, sleeveless flapper dress with its shiny pearl sequins.  He had helped her with her hair, which was done up in a lovely braid, a gold, crown-like hair piece keeping it in place.  Lucy didn’t need to wear make up to look beautiful, but god, that red lipstick did things to Flynn’s self-control.  He couldn’t help but imagine smearing it with his own heated kisses.  Maybe, she would even want to get her mouth on his.  Flynn shook his head.  He wasn’t a teenager.  He didn’t need to be thinking about sex twenty-four seven.

“Well, then I can kick her ass for trying to beat me up.”

Flynn smiled sadly at Lucy.  She didn’t deserve what Emma had done to her.  Flynn gingerly took her hand in his, raised it up to his lips, and kissed her knuckles.  “Just remember, if you feel uncomfortable, you tell me and we will leave.  We don’t have to give anyone an explanation, okay?”

“Thank you, Garcia.” 

Lucy had a beautiful white linen scarf circled a couple of times around her neck, to hide the hickeys he had inadvertently bestowed upon her.  Her outfit, all white, made Flynn think of an angel.  He longed to kiss her, but they could do that later.  Not here, not now, where people could see them.

As soon as they got into the low-lit bar, their eyes were drawn to the stage.  There was Rufus, apparently having the time of his life, conducting his own birthday festivities.

“Alright, alright, everyone!  For our next musical guest, we have The Delta Devils!  You guessed it, they are an old ramblin’ blues band here to wow us with their earthy, Delta blues style.  Give it up!” Rufus clapped excitedly, as he welcomed the band to the stage.

Turning to Lucy, Flynn smiled.  She was looking around the bar in wonder.  It certainly looked like an authentic 1920’s speakeasy, well, as far as Flynn knew, anyway.

“So, is it historically accurate?” he whispered, not missing the blush that graced Lucy’s cheeks, as his breath hit her ear.

“More accurate than I thought it would be,” she smiled up at him.  With a naughty grin, Lucy bit her lip and moved closer to him, “although the selection of alcohol is certainly not historically accurate, thankfully.”

Flynn couldn’t help but laugh.  “Can I get you something?” he offered.

“Sure, how about a martini?”

“Fancy.”

“Oh, you know me, I like things shaken up.”  As she spoke, her voice dropped seductively, and Flynn could feel Lucy’s hand underneath his suit jacket, trailing down his back to his ass.  With a smirk, she gave it a small, playful spank.

“You’re going to be the death of me, Lucy Preston,” he whispered, as he willed his cock not to respond to the incredibly sexy woman that was putting moves on him.

“Relax, its dark in here.  No one is looking at us.” 

“Lucy!”

Luckily, it was a rather drunk Rufus who was calling her name.  He didn’t seem to register the contact they had been making, or if he did, he ignored it.

“Rufus!” Lucy smiled sweetly, giving him a hug, “this is amazing!”

“I know!  Jiya throws the best parties, doesn’t she?  Is Wyatt coming?”

“Uh, no, actually he couldn’t make it,” Lucy said, with absolutely no look of sadness or anger in her eyes.  “I am actually hanging out with Garcia tonight.”

Taken aback, Flynn smiled at Rufus, who suddenly seemed to notice him, “Oh my god!  Flynn!”

The man lunged himself at him.

“I haven’t seen you in... forever!  Geeze!” Rufus laughed.  “How’s Emma?  Is she sick or something?  She’s been out of work all week.”

“Emma is going through a lot right now,” Flynn offered, “I know it’s been a while, but happy birthday, Rufus.  I was thinking we should start up those weekly card games again.”

“Yes!” Rufus yelled, “That is a great idea!  Just no punching Wyatt out this time!”

“Well, that would be difficult when he’s deployed,” Lucy said, as her eyes narrowed on Flynn.

It was pretty clear that Rufus was both hyper and drunk already.  As the band started another song, Rufus jolted.  “Oh, I have to go find my lady, so we can dance to this!  Lucy, Flynn, thanks so much for coming!  Come and say hi to Jiya after this song, alright?”

“Of course!” Lucy and Flynn said in unison.

“Man, you two are cute together!” Rufus laughed, as he pointed at the two of them.

When Flynn looked at Lucy, her expression was indiscernible.  He had forgotten that Rufus had been there that night when he punched Wyatt.

“Um, so, drinks?” Flynn asked.  Walking to the bar, he could feel Lucy following him.  After they got their drinks, they went to a table in the back.

“So, that night at the ER, you punched Wyatt?”

“Yeah.”

“Why, Garcia?”

“He-he was really drunk.  And, he kept saying all of these things about you, and I just-I couldn’t stand the way he talked about you.”

“What did he say?”  Lucy’s eyes were wide, as she looked at him expectantly.

“It’s not important.  He was being a juvenile ass.  I should have told you, I’m sorry.”

“Garcia, please.  Tell me what he said.”

Flynn let out a breath.  Well, she was asking.

“He was really drunk that night.  He was talking about how you wanted kids.  He was saying all of these things about your sex life…  I told him he should respect you.  I mean, he was lucky you ever looked his way, let alone married him.  He was talking about how you two weren’t doing much anymore.  Then he joked about going home and giving you the kids you keep asking for.”

Lucy’s mouth fell open.  Flynn’s mind went back to the grocery store; how Lucy had said that Wyatt’s drunken behavior made her uncomfortable.  As he explained the situation, he stared at his whiskey.

“I just- the way he talked about you, about it, it sounded like he was going to force himself on you.  So, I knocked him out.”

“You hit him, to protect me?”  Lucy’s voice was soft and had an air of disbelief to it.  Looking up, her expression took his breath away.  Didn’t she know that she deserved to be treated well?  To be respected?

“Well, yeah.  I mean, I couldn’t let him do that to you.  It’s wasn’t right,” Flynn said.

He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, as Lucy pulled him down and brushed her lips against his cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered, “I am really lucky to have you, Garcia.”

Lucy looked like she was about to cry, which took Flynn by surprise.

“Are you okay?”

Unable to help himself, his hand wrapped around hers beneath the table.

“Yeah, it’s just- I haven’t had anyone respect me in, well, forever.  Wyatt thinks he owns me, and my mom isn’t much better.  It’s nice to have someone.”

Smiling, Flynn took a drink, “Well, I’m glad to be that person.”

“What person?”

“Your person,” he said, smirking. His knees hitting hers under the table. Lucy’s fingers threaded through his under the table.

“What, exactly, does that entail?” Lucy asked, her eyes narrowing, but her smile coy.

“Whatever you want it to.”

Flynn couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows suggestively.  Lucy looked forward, and he could tell she was working her tongue behind those red lips thoughtfully.  When she looked back at him, her hand let go of his and traveled to his thigh.  As she prepared to speak, she ran her hand up his leg, until she was brushing his dick with the tip of her fingers.  Flynn drew a sharp breath.

“Garcia, do you want to do something crazy?” Lucy asked as she bit her bottom lip.

“What do you have in mind?”

Flynn peered at her, as he took a sip of his drink.  Lucy quickly downed her own, leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Meet me by the bathrooms.”

As he watched her saunter away, she looked back at him and flashed that smile.  The man was clearly done for.  Draining his whiskey, he followed a minute later.  The bathrooms were located by the bar, off to the side, and down a short hall.  Thankfully, no one else was there.  Slowly, the women’s door cracked open, and Flynn could see a sliver of Lucy’s face and her dress before she yanked him by his tie and pulled him in.

Once he was in, he heard the lock engage.  It was actually a rather nice, upscale bathroom, with its powder-pink walls, and soft lighting.  It looked a bit like a dressing room in a theater, and it was clean (thankfully).  All very good things. 

Turning around, Lucy was directly in front of him, wearing a devilish smile, and waiting.  With decisive moves, she placed her hands against Flynn’s chest, and pressed against him, as she ascended to his face, and pulled him down into a kiss.  The kiss was deep and delicious, but Flynn had to be sure.

Pulling back, he cupped her face and loosely thumbed her lips. “So... let me get this straight... you want to have sex in a bathroom?”

“ _No_ ,” Lucy said, as she stepped back and unbuttoned his pants. While she unzipped them, she elaborated, “I want you to fuck me in a semi-public setting- against the wall, preferably.”

Wetting his lips, Flynn couldn’t help himself.  He captured her mouth with his and grabbed her ass.  He worked her mouth open, wrestling his tongue against hers.  Picking her up, he walked her over to the wall and pulled her dress up.  With her hips free, she wrapped her legs around him and worked herself against him.  The friction felt good, but it wasn’t enough.

They continued to kiss fervently.  When his lips dropped to her neck, Lucy let out a greedy moan.  Slipping his hand into her panties, Flynn felt her.  She was already hot, wet and ready for him.  Just the feel of her arousal made him hard.  With minor adjustments, he was able to pull her panties aside and slip into her.  The sigh and hum she let out when he filled her, made his chest warm.

Finding a pleasurable pace, her head fell back and her eyes closed.  Gripping his shoulders, she began to meet him thrust for thrust.  Flynn could feel himself hitting against her.  She was so full of him, and he loved it.

“Fuck,” Lucy moaned, “Yes, right there.  C’mon...”

Pressing her healed foot into his ass, Flynn took the hint.  Harder, deeper. 

“Want me to make you come?” Flynn whispered in her ear.

It was more practicality, but judging by the gasp and moan it elicited, dirty talk turned Lucy on. 

“Mmm, yeah,” she nodded, as he pounded into her.  “Fuck.  I want you to make me scream, Garcia.”

Flynn let out a chuckle.  “Where all of our friends can hear you?”

Lucy smiled, as her eyes fluttered open.  “Are you afraid they’ll get jealous?”

With that, Flynn set his thumb against her clit and made the circles she loved so much.  After a minute, Lucy’s back began to arch, as her hips dragged against him.  _Shit.  It felt so good._   He needed her to finish first though.

“Come for me, Lucy,” he growled, while she followed with a lengthy cry of pleasure. 

Suddenly, he felt her squeeze around him.  As she began to let out a loud moan, Flynn sealed his lips over hers, swallowing her cries.  As her orgasm peaked, her hands found his hair.  Pulling it, he came hard, with a warm sensation covering him from head to toe.

When their bodies stopped shaking from the tryst, she spoke.

“God,” she panted, her lips still lightly brushing his, “that was... _hot_.”

“Yeah,” Flynn swallowed, not quite recovered.  “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. You good?”

“I’m great.”

Kissing her one last time, he pulled out and set her down.  After cleaning up and adjusting themselves, Lucy opened the door and looked around.

“Okay, you go first.  There’s no one out there,” she whispered.

Flynn nodded and walked out as nonchalantly as possible.  As he entered the bar again, he heard someone yell his name, and was blindsided by a fist hitting his face.

“What the fuck?” he had fallen back against the wall. Raising his fingers, he touched his cheek, looking up to see Wyatt Logan staring right at him.

“What the _fuck_ are you doing with my wife?” Wyatt asked. 

He spoke loud enough that several people took interest in the unorthodox greeting.

“Jesus, Wyatt!”  Entering the room, Lucy ran forward, in a panic, “Garcia, are you okay?”

As Lucy reached for his injured face, Flynn just nodded and stared at Wyatt.

“Lucy, I need to talk to you!” Wyatt looked like he was drunk and raging.

“Not here, Wyatt.  I’ll get my jacket and we can go outside.  I don’t want to fight in here.”

“I’ll fight where I want, Lucy!  Why didn’t you tell me it was Flynn doing repairs on the house?”

“Because I didn’t think it mattered.  It’s getting done now, that’s what matters.”

“I don’t like this, Lucy,” he said, grabbing her arm. 

Flynn stood fully upright, ready to help Lucy, if necessary.

“I don’t like this one bit.  You’re lying to me, keeping secrets, acting like you don’t care about anything.”

At that, Lucy pulled her arm out of his grasp.

“I’m going to get my coat,” she seethed, as she looked at Wyatt.  “Wait for me outside.”

“ _Fine_. I need to talk to Flynn anyway.”

Lucy looked at Flynn in a mild panic.  _Did Wyatt know?_   _Did it matter?_

Suddenly, Flynn felt sick. He had no idea what Lucy wanted from him. Was she just blowing off steam? Or was this headed somewhere serious? Flynn had been dropping hints all day; hints that he wanted her, only her. He wanted to be whatever she was willing to let him be for her.

Lucy went to get her jacket, while Flynn followed Wyatt outside. The man lit a cigarette and regarded Flynn with a wary look.

“Flynn, I want you to leave my wife alone. No more working on my house. Lucy doesn’t need you. I’ll fix everything else when I get home.”

“Look, I think you should talk to Lucy about this. I think she wants things done sooner rather than later, and that’s Lucy’s decision. As far as being friends with Lucy, I am not going to just not be her friend. She needs people. She feels isolated already. Do you really want her to be lonely and depressed?”

“I’d rather have that than her being taken advantage of.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Look, I get it, Flynn. You and Emma aren’t working out, and Lucy is such a sweet person she can’t help it. I am sure she listens to you, but she’s never going to cheat on me.” Wyatt flicked the ash off of his cigarette, and Flynn tried not to laugh. _If he only knew._ “You’re wasting your time.  Lucy and I are just going through a rough patch. She doesn’t need you as a distraction.”

“Wyatt, I can’t believe you!” Lucy yelled, leaving the bar, walking toward them. She stopped next to Flynn, and looked Wyatt up and down, the woman looked fierce with her arms folded over her chest, as she stared daggers at her husband, “you can’t just decide who gets to be my friend or not. I can be friends with Garcia if I want to, and I can have him work on my house if I want to!”

“Look, no offense Lucy, but I don’t think you get to make this decision.”

“Wyatt, it’s _my_ house.”

“Our house, Luce. Our home.”

When Lucy got close enough, Wyatt grabbed her by her arm.  “Look, Flynn, I appreciate you looking after my wife, but she doesn’t need it anymore. Let’s go, Luce.”

“No. I want to stay.” Lucy struggled against his hold, “I haven’t even seen Jiya yet. _Let go_.”

“Yeah, yeah, you know what they are gonna say. They’re just going to talk your ear off about some sci-fi shit.”

Wyatt didn’t loosen his grip, as he began to walk Lucy toward his truck.

“Wyatt, let go! You’re hurting me!” Lucy yelled, trying to extract her arm from him to no avail.  “Wyatt, dammit!”

As Lucy yelled at him, she stomped on his foot. Wyatt howled in pain and slapped her hard on the face. Without stopping, he grabbed her arm again. This time, he was digging his fingernails into her. Flynn watched this in horror. _What the hell was the man thinking?_

Deciding to intervene, Flynn quickly caught up to him and clapped his open palms against either of his ears. It had the desired effect, as Wyatt doubled over, his hands shooting up to his ears.  With Lucy free, Flynn told her to get back inside. Wyatt must have recovered quickly, because, the next thing Flynn knew, he was on the ground, his arms blocking Wyatt’s fists. Flynn blocked him and landed one blow against his head. As Wyatt faltered, and he got a hold of his neck and held it until he passed out.

“Did you just-?”

Flynn turned to see Lucy, who hadn’t gone back into the bar.  Aware that his face was stinging, Flynn reached up to touch his temple. _Fuck, he was bleeding._

“It was a choke hold. He’ll be fine.” Flynn got up and walked over to Lucy, “Do you want me to call the cops?  They’ll make him spend the night in jail. You can get a restraining order if you want.”

Lucy looked up at Flynn, her eyes full of tears. She nodded. 

“Lucy, I-I'm sorry you had to see that. You know I’d never hurt you, right?” Flynn looked at her, willing her to know that she never had to worry about this occurring again if she wanted to be with him.

With a sad smile, Lucy raised her hand to cup his cheek. Slowly, she brushed her thumb under his injury.  “Garcia, I trust you.  I just... _he hit me_.”

As he dialed 9-1-1, Flynn pulled Lucy into his arms and held her as she sobbed against him.

 

* * *

 

Lucy had not expected to spend the night of Rufus’ party at the police station.  She hated to do this, she really did, but she felt Wyatt left her no choice.  He hurt her, and she was afraid he’d do it again.

She had to fill out a metric ton of paperwork and just stared down at it like it was written in a foreign language.  Garcia tried to comfort her by placing his hand on her shoulder, which was her first reminder he was there.  She had been in such a fog, she’d forgotten for a moment.  She had never been more thankful that he had been there at the time, and that he was there now. 

“And you are?” the officer asked Garcia.

He paused, glanced at Lucy, and then back to the police officer.  He opened his mouth, but Lucy was quick to interrupt.  “He’s-he’s my best friend.”

“I’m also a witness to the attack,” he added.

She gazed up and met his eyes then.  She couldn’t tell if he was mad at her or not, for having called him “her best friend.”  Lucy found it hard to focus, and she really didn’t want to have involved Garcia in her mess, but he volunteered that he was a witness.  The police officer asked him to step into another room to give a formal statement about what he saw. 

The second he left her, her chest tightened and she found it hard to breathe again.  She filled out her formal statement and the papers to apply for a restraining order, as fast as possible.  She just needed him to be with her.  _What was taking him so long?_

After he provided the police with a formal statement, he met her back at the desk she was seated at.  The officer explained to both of them that they would hold Wyatt for the night, but he would probably be released the next morning.  Because Lucy had applied for the restraining order, an officer would escort him to the house to collect his things and ensure her safety during the process. 

She left the police station with her head still in a haze, but she felt Garcia’s hand on the small of her back and it gave her comfort.  He led her back to the car and drove her home. 

She didn’t talk the entire ride home, but she did grab his hand half-way there.  She _needed_ contact with him.  It was the only thing that seemed to calm and comfort her. 

When they arrived at her house, he took the lead and opened the door for her.  Once inside, he helped her remove her coat and hung it back up in the closet.

“Lucy, do you want me to come back in the morning so that you’re not alone when Wyatt comes to get his stuff?”

She turned to him, and the tears flowed down her face uncontrollably.  He closed the space between them in a flash and wrapped her into his arms. 

“Shh,” he murmured, as he caressed her hair with his hand.

“I-I just…”

“Shh, it’s going to be okay, Lucy.  I will not let him hurt you ever again.  I promise.”

Suddenly, a jolt of rage surged through her.  She gazed up and Garcia, and shook her head in disbelief.  “He hit me, Garcia.  He hit me!”

She balled her hands into fists and backed up out of his arms.  She glanced over at the fireplace mantle, which was filled with pictures of her and Wyatt and her family. 

She strolled over, picked up their wedding photo, and stared at it in silence for a moment. 

“How?” she asked, as she swung back around on Garcia, “How did we go from these happy people in this picture to the mess we are today?”

“I’m so sorry, Lucy.”

She threw the photo against the wall, as the glass shattered into a thousand pieces.  She couldn’t explain what came over her, but it was as if she had been possessed by a whirling dervish or something. 

She sprinted upstairs, opened the closet, and started throwing Wyatt’s clothes in a heap on the floor.  Flynn ran after her and tried his best to get her to calm down.

She hadn’t heard a thing he’s said to her in the last two minutes, and she’s not starting now.  She continued her rampage through the room and threw anything that belonged to her now-estranged husband onto the floor.

She guessed Garcia gave up trying to bring her back to the edge of sanity because when she turned around at one point he was gone.  _How could she blame him?  She’s a lunatic who was married to another lunatic._  

She slumped down into the pile of clothes on her bedroom floor, as the tears flooded her eyes once more.  She’s exhausted, emotional, hurt, and utterly beside herself right now.  _What the hell had she done?  She just pushed away the one good thing in her life._   _He probably won’t even want to sleep with her anymore or be her friend._

She can’t blame Garcia, she can’t.  She started this, not him.  Wyatt was now certainly somewhat suspicious about her relationship with him, and she could not handle any more stress piled onto her right now.  Her husband was a loose cannon, and if he hurt Garcia…

 _She cannot go there right now.  She can’t._  

A noise from the living room snapped her back into reality.  _Did he get out of jail early?  Oh, God, oh God, she’s here all alone.  Should she call the police?_

The footsteps thumped hard on the stairs, and she briefly wondered if she could just hide amongst the pile of clothes, belts, and shoes like E.T. did with the pile of stuffed animals. 

The footsteps were closer and louder now, as they approached her bedroom door.  Panicked, Lucy shoved herself into the clothes pile, as she threw shirts and sweatpants overtop of her.  She held her breath and tried to remain as still as she possibly could.  _Maybe, Wyatt would just peek in, see she’s not in there and leave the house.  Was she going to have to climb out of the second-floor window to escape?_  

A man’s voice chuckled.  “Lucy, what the hell are you doing?”

She breathed a sigh of relief, then popped her head from out of the clothes pile.  She pushed air out of her mouth and moved the hair out of her eyes. 

Garcia was crouched next to the pile, with a _very_ confused look on his face. 

“Lucy?”

“I have no idea anymore.”

The tears she had held back escaped from their ocular prison, and she fell backward onto her back.  She closed her eyes, as her hands covered them in shame. 

The next thing she knew, she was in Garcia’s arms, the two of them surrounded by clothes.  She buried her head into his neck and gripped his shirt with two iron fists.  He held her and rubbed her arms in a soothing manner, while he planted kisses to her forehead.

She managed to stop the waterworks momentarily and lifted her head up to look at him. 

“I thought you left,” she whispered.

“I only went to the garage to get some boxes and trash bags for this mess we’re currently surrounded by.  I would never have left without a proper goodbye, Lucy.”

“Please don’t leave.”

“I won’t.”

She remembered that he helped her up, and sat her down on the bed.  She watched silently, as he packed Wyatt’s things into the boxes and trash bags.  Once he had finished, he sat down next to her on the bed and held her in his arms again.  Eventually, she started to doze off, so she moved up to the pillow and he followed.

“Don’t let go.  Don’t let go,” she whispered half-asleep. 

She knew he responded to her, but the words failed to register as she went off to dreamland.

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyatt arrives at the house for his things, and gets into it with Lucy. Lucy takes refuge at Amy’s house. Lucy and Wyatt have a marriage counseling session. Flynn runs into someone unexpected at the grocery store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically angst, angst and more angst.

Flynn was in a deep, dreamless sleep as something woke him.  Opening his eyes, he saw Lucy staring at him, with her hand on his cheek.

“Good morning,” she said, smiling.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

Flynn found Lucy’s hand, and turned his face to kiss her palm.  All the while, she kept smiling and staring at him.

“How are you feeling?  I was a little scared for you last night.  You were justified in your anger, but I was afraid you were going to get hurt.”

“I’m sorry about that.  Thanks for talking me down,” she said, turning onto her back.  Massaging her forehead with her hand, she let out a heavy sigh.  “Garcia, I am so sorry that I got you involved in this... I-I shouldn’t have done that to you.”

“Lucy, stop,” Flynn said.

Startled, she turned to him once again.

“Don’t apologize.  I told you that I am here for you, no matter what it is, to be whatever you need, do you understand?”

Now he was holding her face, and gently running his fingers along her flushed skin.

“Lucy, I know that you are still reeling, and this is the worst possible time to make any declarations, but I just-It hurt to see the way you were treated last night, and I never want anything like that to happen to you again.  I want to keep you safe, if you’ll let me.”

 _“Wow,”_ Lucy whispered, looking down at Flynn’s chest.

After a moment, her eyes met his, and she tentatively brushed her fingers over the scrapes he had acquired the night before.  Scooting closer to him, she raised herself up enough to kiss each one; the first on his cheek, the other on his temple. “Who will keep you safe?”

“Well, I hear you have a mean stomp.”

Flynn smiled, and pulled Lucy into a soft and languid kiss.  She pressed and pressed against him, but neither of them made a move toward the other’s clothing.  Sex, as wonderful as it was between them, was not the star of this moment.  This moment was all about trust, nearness, intimacy, safety.

It was as if they were trying to get as close as possible to one another, just to feel the presence of the other, to have their solidness, their body heat as an anchor.  Her legs snaked through his, while Lucy’s hands skimmed his chest, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.  Eventually, they were in his hair, and god, Flynn wished this was his home.  He just wanted to be here, with her, doing this for as long as she would let him.

“You’ve _got_ to be fucking kidding me!”

At that, Flynn turned to see Wyatt at the threshold of the master bedroom.

“Wyatt, what the hell are you doing here?”  Lucy sat up, and grabbed her phone.  “I’m calling the cops!” 

“Sir!”

A police officer heaved behind Wyatt, putting his hand on his shoulder.  Apparently, Wyatt had just busted his way into the house, and the police officer (who must be a desk officer, because he definitely wasn’t field ready), breathed heavily, as beads of sweat collected on his forehead.

“You need to get back downstairs and wait for permission to go anywhere.  Mrs. Logan, would you like to leave while he is here?”

“Preston.”

“I beg your pardon, ma’am?”

“It’s Dr. Preston.”

Garcia almost shivered from the ice in her voice.

“My name has _never been_ , nor will _ever_ be, Logan.”

Garcia saw the look of hurt, and then the anger that passed over Wyatt’s face, before he rounded on him.

“You can’t have a good marriage, so you go about ruining other people’s?”

Flynn was surprised.  Wyatt seriously blamed him?

“You’re blaming me?  You cheated on her first!” 

It was the first thing he had said about any of this, about his involvement with Lucy.  Flynn felt, more than saw, Lucy’s head whip around and look at him.  _Fuck.  What had he done?_

“ _First?_ ” Wyatt stepped forward.  “ _First?_ So, you _are_ fucking?”

“Flynn just stayed with me because I didn’t feel safe.”

“Staying with you just _happened_ to require him sticking his tongue down your throat?  What about the other two nights?  You were with him, weren’t you?” 

Wyatt was walking closer and closer to them.  Flynn felt adrenaline kick in.  He was ready to pounce if he had to.

“Ma’am, you don’t have to answer that.  Mr. Logan, get your stuff, and let’s go.  You are already violating your restraining order.”  

The officer had finally caught his breath, and was now taking charge of the situation.

“You know what, Wyatt?” Lucy bit, as she got up and walked over to him. “ _If_ Flynn and I were fucking, you bet it would be the best lay I ever had.  And I would be so well-fucked, that I wouldn’t even dream of touching anyone else, ever again, especially, someone like you.  So, get your stuff, and go.” 

_“How dare you! After everything-”_

“Like you ever did anything for me!  I’d like to see you go ahead and try to do something for someone else.  You are incapable of not being selfish!” Lucy laughed, almost menacingly.

“Like hell, I never did anything for you!  You seem to forget that I saved your life!”

Just like that, Lucy’s confidence deflated.

“If it weren’t for me, you would be dead.  You wouldn’t be here.  You owe me your life,” Wyatt hissed.

Lucy suddenly folded in on herself, and wrapped her arms around her stomach.  Whatever Wyatt was referring to, it seemed to be an incredibly traumatic event for her.

“You should go,” Flynn said, looking at Wyatt.

“You don’t get it, Flynn, do you?” Wyatt sneered, “She’s just getting it out of her system.  She’ll come back to me, she always does.”

Wyatt looked down at Lucy, like she was a puppet, and he was in full control again.

_What the fuck?_

The room was silent, as Wyatt and the officer took all of his things.As Wyatt left, he gave Lucy a hungry and possessive look, as if daring her to try to stay away from him.

“We’re even now, Lucy.  You don’t have to be mad at me anymore.”

After his last taunt, he finally left the room.

Flynn watched as Lucy’s hands balled into fists.  She turned around, her face was red, tear-streaked, and she trembled.  Lucy walked over to the window, and watched as Wyatt got in the car.  Feeling a little out of place, Flynn walked over, and put his hand on her shoulder.  With a hiss, she evaded his touch away.

“You should go, Garcia.”

“What?”

“You should go.  I need... time.  I need time to think about everything, time to consider what to do about my marriage.”

“Well, you know what you should do, Lucy, don’t you?”

“Do I?” she yelled, turning her blazing eyes on him, “or is it that _you_ know what I should do?  Like my mom, like Wyatt, like the tenure committee?  You are just going to be like them, aren’t you?  One day, you’ll hold this over my head, just like what Wyatt’s doing.” 

He tried to ignore the wound that her words created.  Did she think so little of him?  Was she just trying to injure him because she was afraid of how good they were together?

“Lucy, I am not telling you to be with me or anything like that, you know I would never tell you what to do with your life.  I support your career, your choices, I will always support you.”

Garcia grabbed her hand and pulled her close, “ _But, he hit you._ You aren’t really going to take him back, are you?”

“We can’t-we can’t do this anymore, Garcia.”

Flynn was blindsided.  With the air knocked out of him, he croaked, “What?”

“I am going to save you the trouble of disappointment right now.  Trust me, you are dodging a bullet here.”

“I think you’re wrong, and I think you’re running scared, because, falling...”

Flynn paused, he was so close to saying _love_ , and he couldn’t say that, not while she was willing to throw everything away.

“Caring about someone is scary, Lucy.Believe me, I know.  I only had this feeling one other time in my life, and Lorena was ripped away from me in a second.  Don’t you think I’m scared shitless?  But, I am willing to take the chance, Lucy.”

 “You didn’t _care for_ Emma?”

“Honestly?  I don’t think I did, at least not the way she needed me to, and it was a disservice to her.  And to myself.”

Lucy stared at him, her eyes searching his for something he desperately hoped she would find.

“What happens when you decide you don’t _care for_ me?  Will you throw me away, too?”

“God.  No, Lucy, never.”

The effect his words had were the exact opposite of what he expected.  Lucy curled in on herself, again.  He felt her walls go up.  Frantically, he wondered what he was doing wrong.  The woman knew how he felt.  Was their relationship really so minute, so insignificant to her?

 _“_ I _want_ you to go.”

It stung.  Flynn felt all the air leave his lungs, as tears stung in his eyes.  He tried to speak, but his throat was too tight.  Finally, he managed.  “I-I care about you, Lucy.  You are so smart and kind, I just want you to be safe and happy.”

At that Lucy seemed to soften a little.

“I’ll go to Amy’s,” she sighed, “I just... I need time, Garcia. _Please?_ ”

Flynn nodded.  Maybe she was trying to ruin the only good thing they both had left.  Maybe Lucy was afraid he would hurt her, that he would take her for granted or cheat on her.  Without another word, he left.  He ended up taking an Uber back to his hotel, and he tried not to replay the conversation over and over again.  Whatever that dynamic shift was between Wyatt and Lucy, it had been terrifying.  The man obviously had some hold on her.  She went from being the strong woman that he loved, the woman who was so sure of herself, to being a doormat in less than five seconds.  And, Wyatt clearly intended for it to happen.

This wasn’t right.  None of it felt right.  Flynn knew that he should be with Lucy, comforting her, holding her.  His chest ached, as his arms felt empty, and his body felt cold without her next to him.  _God, he had forgotten how much it hurt to have the rug pulled out from beneath him._

Amy knew something was wrong the minute Lucy showed up at her house with a suitcase full of clothes.  She put Henry down in his playpen, and ushered Lucy into the kitchen.

“What did Wyatt do now?”

“How did you know it was Wyatt?” Lucy questioned between sniffles.

“Lucy, there are exactly two people on this entire planet who can cause you to be this upset: your husband or _our_ mother.  Since you haven’t particularly talked to Mom a lot lately, process of elimination.”

“Oh,” Lucy answered, as she slumped into one of the chairs.

“So, what did the asshole do now?”

“Why do you always have to call him names?  This is hard enough on me already.”

“Okay, so what did your amazingly perfect husband do this time?”

Lucy shot her the evil eye, as she didn’t find her comment funny at all.

“He ch-ch-cheated on me.  He confirmed it.  That woman, Jessica-she didn’t lie about them sleeping together.”

“What?  That _fucking asshole_!  I’m gonna kill him myself, if my husband doesn’t do it first.”

It was the same reaction Amy had when she told her the night of her mother’s dedication, except she hadn’t had confirmation of the facts then.

“Ames, no.  Please.  I just-I just need some time to get my head on straight. I hope you don’t mind if I stay here for a little bit.”

She could _not_ tell her sister that Wyatt hit her, that she had a temporary restraining order against him, or that _she_ had also cheated.  She just couldn’t.  There had always been tension between her sister and her husband, and in her view, Amy was a little too biased to give her an opinion on the matter, but she had no one else she could talk to.

“Of course you can stay here, Luce.”

Lucy sighed loudly, and laid her head on the table.

“There’s something else, isn’t there?”

 _Yeah, there is.  I think I’m in love with two different men at the same time_.  She felt like she was literally being split into two.  One version of her (the walking doormat one), was in love with her husband.  They had made commitments to each other, planned a future together and spent years in a relationship.  How could she just throw that all away?  Couples cheat and work through their issues all the time, right?  Maybe, it might have the strange benefit of making their marriage better and stronger in the end. 

The other version of her, (the new, confident one), was in love with her friend.  Their friendship was new and fragile, but strong and hearty as well.  Being with Garcia was easy.  She could talk to him about anything, and the best part was that he _actually_ listened to her.  He was intellectually more on her level, he was considerate of her and her feelings, but most of all he gazed at her with a softness she’d never experienced before.  He made her feel like she was the _only_ woman in the entire world.  But, what sort of future did she have with him?  Was there one?  He had implied that he was interested in continuing whatever they had started, but to what end?  They had talked about what he wanted in life, and he had flat out told her he wanted a family.  A family: the one thing she couldn’t give him.  She could give her love and support, but she couldn’t give him a child.  She wasn’t sure how he felt about adoption, but she was hesitant to broach the subject, given how badly Wyatt had reacted to the suggestion. 

“Hello!  Earth to Lucy!”

She blinked, and shook her head to find Amy waving her hand in front of her face.

“Sorry.”

“Dish, now!” Amy ordered.

“I-I think I have feelings for Garcia.”

Amy almost fell off the chair when she said it.

“ _What?_   Like, _feelings_ feelings?”

Lucy nodded, and a worried expression spread over her face.

“Are you sure it’s not just gratitude because he’s been such a good friend to you, and he _actually_ treats you with respect?”

“Oh, Ames, I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.”

“Do you know how he feels about you?  I mean when I came over, you two looked really cozy with each other.  When you brought him to Mom’s dedication ceremony, I thought maybe something was going on.  I didn’t want to say anything at the time, but…”

“But what?”

“I thought you fit with him.  And I’m not blind.  I saw how he looked at you, Luce.  I think he has feelings for you as well.  You were happy when you were with Garcia, and I haven’t seen my sister happy in I don’t know how long.”

“I was happy.”

“Who are you trying to convince, me or you?”

“I don’t know,” Lucy answered, as she burst into tears again.

Amy got up and pulled her sister into an embrace. 

“Look, if it was me and my husband had cheated, well…let’s just say Henry would be visiting him on the weekends for the rest of his childhood.  But, it’s not me and it’s not up to me.  I will support whatever you decide, you know that, but Lucy come on.”

“I-I just…”

“Tell you what, why don’t you go upstairs, take a nap and then we’ll talk later, okay?”

Lucy nodded, as Amy helped her up from the chair, and guided her upstairs to the guest room.  She wasn’t really physically tired, it was more an exhaustion of her soul.  She checked her phone before she crawled into bed, and saw she had a text message from Garcia.  He just wanted to know if she was ok.  _How can she respond to this when she is the furthest from okay she’d ever been in her life?_   She texted back a terse response that she was fine, but she so wasn’t.

The next few days were hard, but Lucy kept her spirits up.  She played with Henry a lot, fed him, changed him, etc.  He always brought a smile to her face when she was around him.  It was later, when she was alone, that she’d break apart.  Being so involved with him only compounded the fact that she wanted to be a mother more than anything.  _Maybe, she could adopt on her own.  They let single women do that now, right?_  

Wyatt continued to ignore and violate the temporary restraining order she had gotten, not by directly contacting her, but by calling Amy and harassing her.  Amy didn’t even tell her about it until a few days later.  She knew her sister wanted her to leave Wyatt, but she wasn’t pushing her about it.  Lucy thought that was strange in and of itself, but she didn’t dwell on it. 

She finally got so annoyed with him harassing Amy, she told Wyatt she’d have him arrested for violating the order.  He begged and pleaded, threatened even to hurt himself, because he “couldn’t live without her.”  Eventually, he wore her down like he always did, and Lucy agreed to go to counseling.  She refused to commit to anything else, but agreed to the counseling more for her own benefit.  Perhaps, she could get a stranger’s unbiased opinion about her situation, and it would provide more clarity.  She also consented to get Wyatt off of her back, and partially because Garcia really hadn’t pursued her since she went to stay with Amy.

She kept her promise, and made her way to the marriage counselor’s office.  She agreed to go, but she was not going with him.  They would go to the appointment separately, and they would leave it the same way.

Thankfully, the building was your typical non-descript office complex, with a variety of tenants, including doctors, accountants, and dentists.  She pulled into the parking lot, parked her car, and headed towards the building’s entrance.  As she reached the door, it opened, and another couple walked out.  She recognized them immediately, and was instantaneously mortified.  Nathaniel Ridley, Head of the History Department at Stanford, and his wife (man she wished she could remember this woman’s name), stood directly in front of her, and there was no way she would be able to avoid them. 

“Lucy!”

“Nathaniel!”

“Lucy, you remember my wife, Megan, don’t you?”

“Yes, hi!  I think we met at the dedication.”

“And at the holiday party last year.”

“Yes.  I’m sorry.  I’ve been a little preoccupied lately.”

“Don’t mention it,” Megan responded, with a wave of her hand.

“Lucy, you and that husband of yours should come to our little get together next week.  He was an interesting fellow.  I could actually see us becoming good friends,” Nathaniel advised.

“Uh, I’d love to, but my husband is actually away for work right now.”

“Okay, maybe another time then?”

“Sure.”

As soon as the words exited her mouth, she noticed Wyatt walking towards her.  _Shit._   She excused herself quickly, then opened the door and practically ran into the lobby, as Wyatt yelled her name.  She was positive Nathaniel and Megan must have heard him.  _How the hell was she supposed to explain this mess?_

As soon as Wyatt entered the lobby, he yelled for Lucy again.  Embarrassed that he was yelling in an office complex, she stopped and turned back to him. 

“What?”

“What the hell was that?  Who were those people, and why did they act like they had met me before?”

_Fuck.  She’s so busted._

“They met Garcia at the dedication.  I guess they just assumed he was you.  I certainly didn’t introduce him as my husband.”

“How the hell did you introduce him?”

“I don’t think I really did.  He hung out with Amy and Dave most of the night.  And, of course, my mother cornered him for a bit.”

“Oh, well there you go!  I should’ve known.  Carol pushed you towards him, didn’t she?”

“Wyatt, my mother has nothing to do with this.  This is part of your problem.  Not everything bad that happens to you is everyone else’s fault.  Sometimes, you have to own up to your own failings.  Maybe-maybe this was a mistake.”

“No!  Lucy, you’re right.  Let’s just go to the counseling session.”

“Fine.”

They walked down the narrow corridor off to the side, took the elevator up to the fourth floor, and found the counselor’s office.  The session did not start off well, to say the least.  Wyatt continued his obnoxious behavior, and refused to let up about Flynn.  Lucy was honest with the therapist (well, mostly).  She couldn’t bring herself to admit she slept with Flynn.

“Lucy, what is your biggest concern about Wyatt?”

“Respect.”

“I respect you!  How dare you say that I don’t!”

“If you respected me, you’d listen to me, you would have concern about my feelings and wishes, and you definitely wouldn’t have cheated on me!”

“Me?  I found you in bed with another man!”

“Is that true, Lucy?  Did you also have an extramarital encounter?”

“I didn’t feel safe.  My friend slept in the bed with me.  He acts like he caught us in the middle of having sex or something.”

“He was kissing you!”

“Alright, alright,” the therapist stated, as he fanned his hands in a downward motion.

“Wyatt, what is your biggest concern about Lucy?”

“Trust.  I’ve always trusted my wife, but I don’t trust her around Flynn.  He’s manipulative and Lucy-Lucy is a people pleaser.  She always wants to help people, even to the detriment of herself.”

“He is not manipulative.  That’s you.”

“Well, you definitely have some issues, but I don’t think your marriage is irreparable.  Wyatt, we will work on your abandonment issues, and Lucy we will work on your confidence issues.”

“What?” they both asked in unison.

“I don’t have abandonment issues!”

“From what I’ve heard, your lack of trust of Lucy stems from your fear of losing her.  It’s why you try to control her life and environment.  You need to trust that Lucy loves you, and that no matter how many men are interested in her, that she will honor her vow to you.  I know this is not easy, but I will give you a few trust exercises to work on.”

“Fine.  I can try to be more trusting…on one condition.”

“What condition would that be, Mr. Logan?”

“I want Lucy to delete and block Flynn’s number.  If you do that, Luce, I’ll do the same on my phone for Jessica.”

“Is that something you might consider doing, Mrs. Logan?”

“Dr. Preston.  My name is _not_ Mrs. Logan.”

“See?  See what I mean?  She wouldn’t even take my last name.  It’s like you’re embarrassed of me or something.”

“It has nothing to do with that and you know it!”

“May I ask the reason you did not take your husband’s last name?”

“Because I worked hard to earn the title of _doctor_ and I think it’s an archaic tradition.  I’m not property.”

She could tell that response didn’t exactly go over well with her male therapist, or her husband. She knew Wyatt wasn’t going to give up on this, so she reluctantly agreed.  They took each other’s phones and erased Jessica and Flynn’s contact information.  She felt nauseous as she watched Wyatt do it.  She didn’t even get a chance to explain to Flynn, and she felt awful about it. 

Her future was tied to Wyatt, whether she liked it or not, so she decided she would use his guilt to try to better their marriage.  If after a while she decided it wasn’t going to work, she would end it with Wyatt, but she wouldn’t pursue Garcia.  He deserved to find someone who would be able to give him the life he wanted, the family he wanted, even though it pained her heart to let him go.

Luckily, a week later, Wyatt received notice he was being deployed.  Since she knew there was no chance he’d show up and try to push their reconciliation even further, she decided it was safe to go back to the house.  Plus, Amy was probably sick of her already, and she would _not_ be happy about her decision.

A few weeks went by without any substantial contact with Lucy.  When he texted her, she gave him a short answer, she was fine, and busy watching Henry all the time.  Eventually, Lucy wasn’t responding to him at all.  After wallowing for a little bit, Flynn decided he couldn’t live on gas station food anymore, and went to the grocery store.  Turning the corner into the cereal aisle, he collided with another cart.

“I-I am so sorry!” a familiar voice apologized, and Flynn looked up to see Amy Preston smiling at him.

“It’s okay, it’s my fault, really.  I am a bit out of it,” Flynn smiled.

“Tell me about it!” she laughed, as little Henry giggled and turned to look at Flynn.  “How are you doing?”

Flynn felt as if Amy was looking at him under a microscope, but she was being nice, and maybe he could find out how Lucy was doing.

“I’ve been better, honestly.  How are you?  _How’s Mr. Henry doing_?” Flynn shook the boy’s tiny hand, and they both laughed.  “Boy, aren’t you growing fast!”

“Oh, he’s great, aren’t you, kiddo?  Lucy’s been spending a lot of time with him, with her being down in the dumps about Wyatt.”  Amy stopped herself, as she bit her lip thoughtfully, “You _do_ know about that right?  I mean I know you and Lucy are close, but, I don’t know what she tells you, exactly.”

“Actually, Lucy and I _were_ close,” Flynn said, feeling a little petty for feeling the need to correct her, “I haven’t heard from her in a few weeks.”

“No wonder.”

Amy motioned for Flynn to walk with her, and they continued their shopping together.

“No wonder what?”

“No wonder, she said she misses you,” Amy said, looking at her cart.  “Honestly, I don’t get it.  Maybe, if you had been around, you could have talked her out of giving Wyatt _another_ chance.”

Flynn felt his stomach drop.  That was why he hadn’t heard from her, it had to be.

“Well, I was trying to respect Lucy’s need for space.”

“You mean, her self-hating need for alienation?  The same need she seems to mysteriously fall back into whenever she gets into it with Wyatt.”

“You obviously don’t like Wyatt, do you?” Flynn said, with a small smile.  “I don’t blame you.  The moment he hit Lucy, he permanently went on my shit list.”

“Wait, w _hat?_ He hit her?”

Amy’s expression went from that of sheer surprise, to anger.  “He hit her, and she’s trying to work things out with him?”

“Yeah, I saw him do it.  I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“She didn’t tell me about that.  She just said he cheated on her.  She stayed with me for a couple weeks, and decided to go back home a week ago.  I guess they talked it out.”  Amy looked down, “But, if he fucking hit her, the bastard’s lucky he just got deployed.”

Flynn took note of that. 

“Can I ask you something?” Flynn said, against his better judgement, _but he just had to know._

“Sure,” Amy said, obviously trying to control the storm within her, “Ask away.”

“The day he picked up his stuff, Wyatt and Lucy got into a fight.  Lucy was doing great-she was confident, and ready to kick him out.  Then he said that he had saved her life, and that she owed him. And she just-deflated-became a different person, really.  What did he mean by that?”

“Oh, he’s still using that line.”  Amy rolled her eyes, “I guess Lucy didn’t tell you about how she and Wyatt met, did she?”

Flynn shook his head.

“Lucy was in her junior year at Stanford.  She was in a band, and they were _really good_.  They got offered a deal to record an EP in New York City, and play a ton of opening gigs.  The only problem-Lucy would have to drop out of school.  She and I had talked for hours about how we were going to double team mom, and make sure Lucy got to pursue her dream, no matter what.  Well, as she was speeding home, high on life, her car hit an oil slick, and she spun out and her drove into the lake near our house.  Wyatt was there, and jumped in and saved her.  She was blue, and he resuscitated her.  When he asked for her number, she gave it.  Her reasoning was that he saved her life, might as well stay in touch.  When he asked her out, Lucy said no at first.  She still planned on going to New York City.  But, after mom wore her down, Wyatt did, too.  I didn’t realize he was manipulative, until she tried to call off their engagement.”

“What?”

“Lucy was getting cold feet.  She was just starting her doctorate program, they had only been engaged a year, and Wyatt... he didn’t handle it well.  Insisted they were soulmates, meant to be.  He told her that she was just afraid of things she couldn’t control because of the car accident, that somehow the trauma of being out of control in that car, was making her need to control everything, and everyone else.  That’s how he got out of any suspicion for anything.”  Amy looked up at Flynn and frowned.  “He got really drunk one night, and came around looking for her.  She was out of town, doing some research or something.  I invited him inside to crash on the couch, and he made a move on me.  I was only _fifteen_.”

Amy looked away, tears in her eyes.

“Wyatt was so drunk, he didn’t remember anything the next day.  I mean, he had only kissed me, but still.  I told Lucy, and she was furious.  Then she talked to Wyatt.  Suddenly, it was all turned around and she was angry at me.  Apparently, I had lied!  I was heartbroken.  We almost had a falling out because of it.  I learned then, that if I want to keep my sister, I can’t question her relationship with Wyatt.  He has the ability to turn her.  It’s scary.”

“It’s abusive.”

Flynn stood there, staring blankly ahead, “its emotional and psychological abuse, and she has been conditioned for even longer than I thought.  She’s been conditioned to just accept it, because she thinks she owes him?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Amy said, putting a can of marinara sauce in her cart, “But, you know, if he hit her...”

“Yeah, I know.  I have seen things like this escalate quickly,” Flynn said.

“I’m worried about her,” Amy confessed.

“Me, too, honestly.”

Flynn was at a loss.  Lucy didn’t want him around her, but she missed him?  Also, she obviously needed someone to talk to about this.  She was making a huge mistake, taking Wyatt back.  As Flynn considered these things, Amy’s phone rang. 

Flynn could hear Lucy yelling on the other line, panicked.  He could also hear water.

“I don’t know how it happened, but there’s a pipe, in the laundry room.  It has a crack.  Does Bam-Bam know how to fix this sort of thing?”

“Lucy, okay, okay.  Are you hurt?”

“No.  I just can’t contain it.  Ow!”  There was silence on the phone and then, “I’m okay-just a splinter.  I wish I could call Garcia, but Wyatt blocked and deleted his number weeks ago.”

 _Oh._ Well, maybe the reason she didn’t call or text was because she couldn’t contact him. _Literally._

 _“Well,”_ Amy said, a wicked glint in her eye, “It’s a good thing I happen to be in the pasta aisle, talking to him right now. _”_

Flynn gestured to the phone, and Amy handed it over.

“Hey, Lucy.”

“Hi, Garcia.”

Her voice sounded so small and tender, not at all full of the anger and confusion that she had weeks ago.  As Flynn walked down the aisle a little, he directed Lucy to the water shut off valve for the laundry room.  When she successfully shut it off, she thanked him.

“I’ll head over and help fix the pipe, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, that would be good.  Thanks,” Lucy sighed.  “I’m sorry, by the way... about everything.”

“No need to be sorry, Lucy.  You’re going through a lot.  I’ll see you soon.”

Flynn was surprised at how soft he felt toward her.  God, he couldn’t be mad at her.  Her reaction wasn’t her fault.  It was the result of years of abuse.

“Okay,” she whispered.

At that, he hung up the phone, and walked back over to Amy, who smiled.

“What?” Flynn asked, handing the phone over.

“Oh, nothing.  Just relishing the fact that I am, once again, right about everything.”

“What exactly are you right about now?” Flynn asked, rolling his eyes.

“You’re-”  She stopped short of saying the dreaded word, _love_.  “You have feelings for my sister.”

“Oh, that.”

“Yeah, and I think she feels the same way.”

_Oh._

 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flynn arrives to fix Lucy’s pipe and confesses how he feels. Lucy has a confession of her own as well.

Lucy anxiously awaited Garcia’s arrival.  She hadn’t seen him in weeks, and she felt horribly guilty about how she had left things.  She owed him an explanation and an apology, and she just hoped and prayed he could eventually forgive her.  Her chest tightened and her breathing shallowed, as she peeked out the window every couple of minutes. 

She hated to do this to him, she really did, but she didn’t know what else to do.  She probably should have just called a random plumber, because if Wyatt finds out he was here…

Her nerves were getting the better of her, and if she chewed her nails down any further, she wouldn’t have any.  She needed to calm down, so she made her way to the kitchen, and poured herself a large helping of vodka.  She took a deep breath, picked up the glass, and downed it.  Her throat burned not only from the vodka, but from the aching desire she had for Garcia.  She wanted him, she missed him, she needed him.  But she couldn’t keep using him like that.  She had to cut the kite strings, and let him drift in the wind until he found someone new, someone who could provide him the life he deserved. 

Suddenly, she heard a car door slam shut outside.  Her heart skipped a beat.  It was going to take all of her inner strength to not jump him the minute she saw him.  There was a knock on her front door a moment later, and she quickly moved from the kitchen to the living room.  She took another deep breath, smoothed out her white sundress a little, and opened the door.  She gazed up at him with a small smile.  He was still as handsome as ever, but he had dark circles under his puffy eyes, and his face was covered in stubble.  If he hadn’t appeared to be in distress, she would’ve considered the stubble to be _very_ sexy. 

“Hi,” she whispered shyly.

“Hi, Lucy.”

If he continued to gaze at her with those sad eyes filled with longing, she would break in two. 

“Come-come in,” she muttered, with a wave of her hand.

“So, the pipe…”

_All business, of course.  She couldn’t blame him, but it did pain her._  

“Right.  Follow me.”

Lucy led him through the kitchen towards the basement door.  His eyes wandered around the kitchen, and landed on the vodka bottle, before they snapped back to her.  _Crap.  She forgot to put that away, and now he really thinks she’s a drunk_. 

She made it to the third step, before she twisted her ankle in her white wedge sandals, and found herself in a slow-motion fall, until she felt a pair of hands grab her waist. 

“Easy there, Lucy,” he cautioned, as he righted her on the steps.

His fingers around her hips sent a jolt of electricity through her body, and she momentarily thought about a few dozen other things those fingers could be doing to her right now.  _Stop it!  Damn, Lucy.  What are you a teenager?_

They made it down the stairs the rest of the way without incident.  Lucy showed him where she had left the bucket under the pipe.

“When I came home the other day, I kept hearing a noise down here, and when I came down I found a small puddle of water.  It wasn’t dripping, so I just cleaned it up.  A couple days later, I was down here doing laundry, and it started dripping again.  So, I’ve emptied the bucket for a day now, but the leak looked like it was getting worse.  I should’ve just called a plumber, I’m sorry.”

“Lucy, it’s fine.  Nothing to be sorry about.”

She missed the way her name lilted off his tongue, his accent more prominent when he said it.  Even time and separation hadn’t changed how she felt about him.  She still loved him.  Dare she say, she might even love him more than she ever had.  He gazed softly at her, and she could feel the invisible push and pull of the universe, as it tried to realign her into his orbit.

“Lucy, I need you to turn the water back on so that I can see exactly where the leak is, okay?” he asked, as he pulled out a flashlight from his toolbox. 

 She nodded, and walked to the other end of the laundry room where the shut off valve was. 

“Just let me know when you’re ready,” Lucy informed him.

“Alright, turn it on, Lucy.”

She turned the valve, and a few moments later the water dripped from the pipe and into the bucket.  Lucy walked back over to Garcia, and stood next to him as he inspected the pipe. 

“Lucy, can you hold the flashlight for me?”

He handed it to her, and they both felt the shiver that ran through their bodies when their fingers skimmed each other’s.  When he took her hand to position the flashlight correctly, his lips parted slightly, and he did that thing with his tongue that drove her out of her mind.  _Oh, God, how is she ever supposed to get through this?_

She held the flashlight in place, as he visually inspected the pipe, as well as ran his fingers along the bottom to feel for cracks.  She was close enough to touch him now, and his scent intoxicated her every sense. 

All of a sudden, the pipe creaked loudly, and water spewed everywhere as it burst.  He tried to block the spray with his hands, as he screamed for Lucy to shut the water off.  She rushed over to the valve and turned it off, but it was too late.  They were both soaked from head to toe, and water was everywhere.  She ran back to Garcia, terrified he had gotten burned or something.

“Garcia!  Garcia, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Lucy.  A little wet, but I’m fine,” he answered, as he removed his flannel button down shirt.

His undershirt was a white tank top, which was also soaked through.  The water had made it completely see-through, and she lusted to rip if off of him, and run her hands along his chest and that six-pack.  The water beaded down his tanned biceps, like a bronzed god sparkling in the radiant sunlight.  She was so turned on right now, she couldn’t think straight. 

The sound of water trickling woke her from her reverie, and she glanced over at Garcia, as he wrung out his shirt into the utility tub.

“Here, let me…,” Lucy stated, as she strolled over to him, and attempted to grab the shirt from his hand.

“Lucy, it’s okay-”

“No, I insist.  Let me dry it for you.”

Their hands brushed again, but this time he grabbed hers softly, and began to caress it with soft circles.  She melted into his touch, but she dared not gaze up into those juniper jeweled eyes of his.  Her heart raced, as they stood there silently for a few beats. 

“Lucy…”

She averted her eyes down, unable to meet his, which is when she noticed her white sundress was also see-through.  She might as well be standing in front of him in her bra and panties at this point. 

“Lucy.”

When he called her name the second time, she finally glanced up.  They both breathed heavily, as they grasped the shirt tighter, and their fingers threaded together.  The next thing she knew, Garcia yanked her into his arms, and his lips crashed onto hers.  The kiss was hard, hot and passionate, as their tongues traded twists and turns in the other’s mouths.  Their hands grabbed and clawed each other, like two wolverines engaged in battle over territory in the wild.

He backed her up, until she slammed into the washing machine.  His hands skimmed beneath her dress and up her legs.  He seized her thighs with a vice-like grip, and lifted her up on top of the washing machine.  He trailed kisses down her neck, and his stubble stimulated every nerve fiber in her body.  _God, she wanted him in the worst way, and she had no ability, nor intention, to stop herself right now.  Right now, all she wanted was for him to be inside her, as he stretched her into ecstasy._  

“Tell me to stop, and I’ll never touch you again, Lucy,” he whispered against her neck, as his hands came up to massage her breasts.

She didn’t want him to stop.She had _never_ wanted him to stop.  She gripped both sides of his cheeks, and tilted his head so that their eyes met.  She gazed longingly into them for a few beats, then she crashed her lips upon him violently, and scraped her teeth on his bottom lip as she pulled away.  Her lack of a verbal response goaded him on, and her dress was up and over her head in a heartbeat.  She felt him hard against her, as she brushed her hands along his waistband.  She jerked his undershirt up as far as she could, before he practically ripped it off the rest of the way. 

He pulled back for a moment, as he extricated himself from the iron grip of Lucy’s thighs.  She slightly freaked out when he did, but then he captured her hips and yanked her underwear down.  She lifted her hips off the washing machine to aid in the process.  After they were off, he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her fiercely.  She fumbled with his buckle for a second, but then his pants were finally undone.  He just let them fall to his ankles, as he continued his ministrations to Lucy’s neck and chest.  His hands gently slid her bra straps down, before he reached around the back and removed the clasp. 

She tugged on his underwear in vain for a few seconds, before he stopped kissing her and removed the offending garment.  She grabbed a hold of him, and guided him into her entrance.  They both moaned loudly, as their bodies intertwined for the first time in weeks.  The feverish fervor overtook all rational thought, and she sunk her teeth into his neck like a starved vampire with uncontrolled bloodlust.  After a few short thrusts, he plunged into her wildly, and she flung her head back with her eyes closed.

“Look at me, Lucy.  I want to make sure you’re thinking of me and only me.”

She opened her eyes, and honed in on his with laser-like precision.

“Yes, Garcia.  Just like that.”

“Oh, God, Lucy.  You feel amazing.”

He pounded into her deep and hard, as she dug her ankles into the small of his back.  Her ass slammed into the top of the washing machine repeatedly, and she knew she would have a bunch of bruises once they were done, but she didn’t care right now.  Right now, all was right with the world, as the man she loved fucked her senseless in her laundry room. 

Her breath stuttered, as she approached the edge of ecstasy. 

“Come for me, Lucy,” he growled into her ear, as he thrusted into her harder.

Her moans grew louder and louder, then she dug her nails into his shoulders, as she came with a shudder.  To her surprise, he continued to thrust into her, as if he may never get the opportunity again, so he wanted to make sure he gave an all-star performance.  After another mind-blowing orgasm, he finally came inside her, and they stayed there holding each other for what felt like a lifetime.  He kissed her lips softly, then both of her cheeks and then her forehead, before he rested his head against hers. 

“I still love you, Lucy.  I still want to be with you.”

“Garcia-”

“Let’s be together, Lucy,” he suggested, as he planted soft kisses down her neck.

She closed her eyes, and leaned into his lips, as she murmured a contented sigh.  His thumb grazed her chin, and then parted her mouth, as he traced the lines of her luscious lips.  _Damn, this man is not making this any easier on her._ Truth be told, this was the best she’d felt, and the happiest she’d been since she last saw him weeks ago.  It wasn’t just about the sex, (although it was the best she’d ever had in her life), it was about the softness, the safety, the stability. 

Lucy’s backside hurt, and she squirmed and adjusted in his arms in a vain attempt to find a more comfortable position.  Once he noticed she was uncomfortable, he gently picked her back up and placed her feet back on the ground.  He still held her in his arms, neither of them willing to let go of the other. 

“Garcia, I really need a shower.  I feel gross.”

“Thanks, Lucy.  That’s just what a guy wants to hear after what we just did.”

He shook his head and backed up from her.

“No!” Lucy shouted, as she reached out and pulled him to her again.  “I feel gross because we had dirty water dumped on us.”

“ _Oh._ Well, there’s only one problem with that.”

“What’s that?” she asked playfully, as she twirled a strand of her drenched locks.

“The pipe needs to be patched first.”

“Oh, yeah.”

She’d forgotten about the pipe, so swept up in everything that was Garcia Flynn.

“It won’t take long, just need to solder the patch.  It’ll hold for now, but I’m going to have to replace this whole entire section eventually,” he explained, as he pulled his underwear and pants back on.

“Oh, okay.  Well, then I’ll just wait right here until you’re done,” Lucy responded, as she jumped back up on the washing machine.

She leaned back with a breathy moan, as she massaged her breasts.

“Lucy!”

“What?” she asked, as she shot up to look at him.

He swallowed hard, as his eyes roamed her naked physique splayed out in front of him.

“I-I can’t do this with you there-doing that.  Do you want me to electrocute myself somehow?”

_No, she definitely didn’t want that_. 

“Fine,” she huffed, as she got back down and grabbed her wet dress off the floor.

She tried to remain out of sight, so he could get his work done faster.  She felt like she stood there for forever, although in reality it was probably closer to five minutes.  Finally, he asked her to turn the water on to test the pipe.  She turned it on, and there were no leaks, cracks or weird noises.  Flynn bent down to put the soldering iron and flashlight away in his toolbox, and Lucy dropped the dress off of her shoulders and down her body once again.  He almost fell right back over when he stood upright again and saw her. 

“Strip,” she ordered.

He complied easily, and shoved his pants down with an exaggerated exertion.  He took the opposite approach with his underwear, as he slowly pealed them off his skin.  She took his hand in hers, and guided him behind her up the stairs. 

“Where are we going, Lucy?”

She stopped dead in her tracks, as they reached the top of the steps, and rounded on him.

“To the shower.  I wasn’t the _only_ one who got _dirty_ down there.  And, if you’re _really_ good, I’ll let you scrub me from head to toe.”

The next thing she knew, he chased her up the stairs, and pinned her against the bathroom wall, as they let the water heat up.  A few dozen soft, languid kisses later, Lucy wasn’t sure whether the shower or their bodies created more steam.

She broke their kissing marathon, slipped into the shower, and crooked her finger at him.  He stepped in a second later, and they both decided they needed to get clean before they proceeded with any sort of aquatic sexcapade.  Flynn gently massaged the shampoo, and then the conditioner, into Lucy’s hair.  Between the hypnotic rhythm of his scalp massage, and the hot, steamy water, Lucy was on the verge of being lulled to sleep.  After he rinsed her hair, he began to wash her body, which _definitely_ woke Lucy right back up.  He rinsed her slowly, careful to have removed all the body wash, before his mouth found her neck and worked a trail down to her chest. 

As badly as Lucy wanted to continue, Flynn still needed to clean up, so she handed him the shampoo.  He quickly worked it into his hair, and rinsed it out.  Lucy would’ve loved to have given him the same pampered treatment he provided her, but unfortunately she just wasn’t tall enough.  She could however, wash his robustly muscular physique evocatively, and his arousal and responsiveness to her touches were most evident. 

He kissed her again, as he backed her up to the shower wall.  Lucy braced herself as best she could, and they (carefully) joined their bodies in coital bliss once more.  Unlike the frenzied fervor of their laundry room tryst, this encounter was slower and more sensual in nature.  She rocked her hips against him, as he moaned in response.  Their kisses grew sloppier by the second, as they quickened their pace. 

“Make me scream,” she whispered into his ear.

A primitive-like growl escaped his lips, as he thrusted deeper into her.  She screamed his name loudly a few moments later, and he came at virtually the same time.  They separated only to negate the chance of injury.  Flynn moved to shut the water off, when Lucy grabbed his hand.

“Stay with me?”

“Is that what you want, Lucy?”

She drew him back to her, leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips softly.  “Yes,” she answered with a breathy rasp.

“Your wish is my command.”

She kissed him again, this time passionately and possessively.  _She could not give this up.  She could not give him up._

After the shower, Lucy and Flynn fell onto her bed in a toweled heap.

“These are new?” Flynn observed, running his hand over the burgundy comforter.

Propping herself up on her elbow, Lucy smiled at him.  His hand went from caressing the covers to holding her cheek.  Her face flushing, she closed her eyes and leaned into him.  Her smile, her touch.  It was all more than he had ever expected to have again.

“Hmm, I wanted to forget the color that this was before...  Or maybe I wanted to forget who I was before.”

“Who you were before?”

“Before I met you,” Lucy said, pulling herself up fully to kiss him softly, slowly, passionately.  “Did you mean it?”

Her eyes were again closed, as Flynn threaded his hands into her damp hair.

“Did you mean it when you said you love me?  That you _still_ love me?  You want to be with me?”

Flynn turned Lucy over, and dropped his lips to her neck, her collarbone, her shoulder.  “My dear Lucy, I meant every word.”

Lucy let out a breathy moan, as Flynn continued to kiss down her arm.  Perching himself between her legs, he shifted to her other arm, and traced his way up to her chest.  With a knowing look, he peeled back the towel, and set his mouth to her.  All the while, Lucy watched him, her hand playing with his hair, her hips gently rutting against him.

Mouthing his way to her other breast, he gently massaged her with his lips, and took her in his mouth as much as he could.  All the while, they continued to stare at one another, the flush building along her chest and cheeks, until she was gripping his hair tightly.  Gently, she guided him back up to her.  After a deep and sensuous kiss, Flynn began to rid himself of his towel.

“Garcia, wait.”

Flynn nodded.  “What is it, Lucy?”

“I-I have to tell you something, and it may change how you feel about me.”

“Impossible.”  He braced himself over her.   “However, go on.”

“I can’t give you what you want.”

_Oh, god.  She was going to stay with Wyatt, wasn’t she?_

Suddenly Flynn heard buzzing in his ears.  Why-why would she do this?  Ask him to stay, take him higher and higher, just to drop him, to let him fall.He began to say he would go, but he realized that he couldn’t speak.

“Garcia, we can adopt, if that is what you want.”

“Wait, what?”

“You’re really going to make me repeat myself?”

“I’m sorry, Lucy... I was lost in thought... please, I’m listening,” he assured her.

“I don’t think I can have children,” Lucy said, “I know you want to be a father again.  However, I feel I need to be honest, if you want this: us.  You may not have biological children.  But I do want to be a mom.  I want to more than any-”

Flynn interrupted her with a kiss.  “Lucy, even if you said kids were out of the picture, I’d still want you.  After all, we can always be the cool Aunt and Uncle.  I am happy to adopt, too.”

Lucy stared up at him, tears escaping as she laughed, “Really?”

“Yes,” Flynn said earnestly, “I just want you.  That’s all, Lucy.  I make no demands.  I mean, other than you divorcing Wyatt.”

She looked at Flynn, and then looked away.

“You are going to divorce Wyatt, right?”

With a smirk, Lucy turned back to him, “I was sorta thinking about starting my own commune.”

“That is not funny, Lucy,” Flynn said, even though he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, c’mon, it’s a little funny.  Although, I think you’d kill him before a week was over.”

“Probably,” Flynn admitted.

“Well, I need you here, with me, not living in prison, okay?  I’ll divorce him,” Lucy said with a serious tone, “on one condition.”

“Anything.”

“You get that goddamn towel off, and finish what you started.”

 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyatt’s suspicions are confirmed. Flynn and Lucy have a surprise visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both of us would like to apologize for the long delay and beg our Garcy family's forgiveness.

_“Oh, god, yeah.”_

As Wyatt heard the woman beneath him moan, he let out a guttural sound of his own and came. After a moment, he pulled out and landed on the bed next to her. Catching his breath, he got up and walked to the bathroom. Taking the condom off, he tied it and threw it in the garbage. There was no way he was making _that_ mistake again.

“Have you talked to Jess lately?”

Sarah was at the bathroom door now, wearing Wyatt’s flannel. He had to admit, it looked pretty hot on her tan skin.

“Not really. She almost ruined my marriage. I’m a little pissed at her.”

“Wow. You’re really going to blame that on her? God, you really are as stupid as you are pretty, aren’t you, Logan?”

“You know, fuck you, Sarah.”

“I thought you just did,” she said with a sly grin.

One thing Wyatt liked about Sarah was that she took no shit, but she also had no conscience, which was good for him considering he was in the dog house with both Jess and Lucy right now.

“You know she’s having a girl.”

“Really?” Wyatt asked, thinking about what he should do about the kid situation.

In the next room, he heard an alert coming from his laptop.

“I’ll check it out,” Sarah offered.

Moments later, she let out a shriek.

“What the fuck is this, Logan? I didn’t know you were into voyeurism. You weren’t filming us, were you?”

Running into the room, Wyatt saw the video on his computer.  On it was Lucy, with someone he could only assume was Flynn based on his height and build, as he pounded into her mercilessly. Watching her dig her nails into him, the way her body responded to him, so raw and responsive, Wyatt had to admit that it looked nothing like the sex he and Lucy had.

“Wow, she’s enjoying herself.”

Sarah sounded genuinely impressed.  “And well, she’s enjoying him, too. Isn’t he a tall drink of water. Who are they, Wyatt?”

“That’s my wife and a soon-to-be dead man.”

As Wyatt spoke, he felt separated from his body. There was no way Flynn would get away with this. 

“Wait, you filmed your wife? What the fuck, Logan?”

Sarah began to gather her clothing and got dressed. Pausing the video, Wyatt couldn’t help but stare at Flynn and Lucy with their foreheads together. There was a look on Lucy’s face that Wyatt had never seen before. Happiness? Passion? _Love?_  He couldn’t place it. Lost in his thoughts, Wyatt vaguely heard a door open and slam behind him. He couldn’t be bothered though. He was too busy thinking of ways to get back at Flynn and to make sure that Lucy never betrayed him again. If she was sorry enough, Wyatt was certain he could forgive her. They could get over this. They had to. _They were Lucy and Wyatt, after all._

Flynn woke up with the sun shining down on his face. Turning over, he found Lucy’s spot on the bed empty, however there was a note on the pillow.

_Went to buy some groceries._

_And, some clothes for you._

_I’ll see you soon._

_Xoxo, Lucy_

With a groan, Flynn got up. After putting on his boxers, he looked around for something to wear. As much as he hated the idea of ever touching Wyatt’s clothing, there was a robe in the guest room that mostly fit him. After putting it on, Flynn went to the kitchen to make some coffee. Rooting around in the cupboard for something to eat, he found a cereal bar. _He could certainly see why the woman needed groceries._ When she got back, he’d make her a nice breakfast.

After pouring himself a cup of coffee, the doorbell rang. Figuring it was Lucy needing help with the groceries, Flynn answered. As he opened the door, he felt a slight panic. It definitely wasn’t Lucy.

“Oh, my god!” Amy yelled rather excitedly, as she and Henry casually pushed passed Flynn.  “So, you spent the night, didn’t you?”

“Hi Amy.”

Running his hand through his hair, Flynn wasn’t sure if this was going to be bad or not.

“Uh, is Lucy expecting you?”

“I think she forgot. Maybe she got a little preoccupied, hmmm? But yes, she’s supposed to watch Henry today,” Amy said, as she and Henry followed Flynn into the kitchen.  “So... did you work on the pipes or did you just work on my sister?”

Flynn almost choked on his coffee. Amy was definitely the boldest of the sisters and that was really saying something.

“I’m not answering that, Amy.”

“Well, it’s all good. I can always tell if Lucy’s... _you know._ I don’t need to get my gossip from you.”

“I hate to break it to you, but I think your radar might be broken,” Flynn said, before he thought better of it.

Turning away from Amy, he grabbed the newspaper and then sat at the table.

“What’s that supposed to- _oh._ ”

Flynn watched as Amy’s expression went from humorously confused to outright gobsmacked.

“So, when she came to my house because she didn’t want to stay with Wyatt it wasn’t because Wyatt cheated. It was because... you two?”

“I don’t know Lucy’s motivations for that,” Flynn said.

However, it warmed his heart to think that Lucy didn’t actually stay with Wyatt at all while he had been here.

“And, like I said, I won’t answer your questions. You’ll have to get your intel from Lucy.”

“Get what intel from me?” Lucy asked, standing at the opening of the kitchen. “Amy, are you putting Garcia through the wringer?”

“Nope, just having a polite conversation among friends, _right_ _Garcia_?”

Flynn couldn’t help but laugh. Amy was certainly putting on her little sister hat today.

“Yes, it was polite. I don’t mind. Amy and I have become friends now.”

“See?” Amy asked, as Lucy merely rolled her eyes.

Setting down the groceries, Lucy looked over to Flynn. He could tell that something was churning in her head. Looking him up and down, Lucy smiled and walked over.

“Good morning,” she said softly, as she cupped his cheek and gave him a slow and soft kiss on the lips.

Flynn greeted her back, his own voice sounding scratchy as a result of her attentions.

“Good god, get a room!” Amy laughed. “But seriously, Lucy, can you still watch Henry? My class starts in an hour.”

“Oh yeah, of course. As long as you don’t care if Garcia stays.”

“Hey, Henry loves Flynn, so no complaints here,” Amy said, walking over and handing Henry to Lucy.  “I mean, he _is_ going to put on some clothes though, right?”

“Yes, his stuff just got destroyed yesterday.”

“Okay, more details than I needed, Luce!” Amy said, pretending to be grossed out, as she walked away.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Lucy yelled back. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Ames!”

Amy yelled “whatever” back to Lucy and left the house. Lucy and Flynn looked at one another and couldn’t help but start laughing. Standing up, Flynn walked over to the bags to find the new clothes.

“Garcia, I am so sorry. I totally forgot she was-”

Mid-apology, Flynn cut her off with a kiss.

“Don’t apologize, Lucy. It’s fine. Besides, Amy likes me, so I don’t think she’s gonna be upset about finding me here.”

“True,” Lucy said, as she put Henry in the high chair.

Lucy then began to make him a bottle. It was like second nature now.

“You’ve gotten really confident with Henry.”

“You think so?” she asked, looking at the little guy. “Well, he has been a rather patient tutor, haven’t you, Mr. Henry? Oh, now I sound like Garcia.” 

As Flynn and Lucy smirked at one another, he couldn’t help but imagine Lucy being just as warm and confident with their kids one day. Whether biological or adopted, Flynn knew Lucy would be an amazing mother. She was always so kind with everyone. She was selfless to a fault and looked for the best in others. However, she could tell the difficult truths, if need be.

“What?” she asked, as she pulled Flynn out of his daydream.

“Oh, uh, nothing. I’m going to get dressed,” he said.

After getting dressed and brushing his teeth, Flynn joined the others in the living room. Henry was getting really fast at crawling, and a couple times he lifted himself up, using the couch. While the group was on the floor playing with Henry’s blocks, Lucy’s cell phone rang. She excused herself and went to the kitchen to fish it out of her purse. Flynn’s ears perked up when he heard Lucy begin to get upset.

“How would you know that? What, are you spying on me?”

Putting Henry in his pack and play, Flynn walked over to Lucy.

“Oh, so a neighbor told you that Flynn was over here? I’m supposed to just believe you?”

Flynn could hear Wyatt screaming on the other end. He didn’t want to pressure Lucy, but he stood there just in case she needed him.

“You know what, Wyatt? No. I’m not doing this anymore. We are done. _You and I are done_.”

Again, more yelling. Finally, after taking enough of his abuse, Lucy yelled over his voice.  “What I’m saying, Wyatt, is that I want a divorce. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”

With that, Lucy hung up. Turning to Flynn, she let out a faint smile.

“Well, that’s that.”

“You okay?” Flynn asked, as he opened his arms to her, as she walked over to him.  “Because if you need a nap or need to cry or whatever, I get it. I'm here for you.”

“No, I think I’m fine,” she said, as she hugged him and smiled. “Besides, we were having a great day, weren’t we?”

“Yes, I believe we still are?”

“Yes, we still are,” Lucy said, as she exhaled deeply. 

She pulled back and moved her arms up and around Flynn’s neck. She bit her lip and pulled him down for a kiss. While he rested his hands on the small of her back, Flynn stared down at her in adoration.

“Garcia, you’re giving me that look again.”

“How else am I supposed to look at the woman of my dreams when she’s in my arms, hmm?”

“Oh! You are laying on the charm today, aren’t you?” Lucy asked, as she laughed and set her head on his chest.

However, she let out a sigh. “Garcia, do you want to try to have biological children…eventually?”

Well, that was... a big question. Of course, he did, but that wasn’t the end all. If they couldn’t, adoption would be just as great.

“Do you?”

“I mean, I thought with Wyatt that he might be the problem, but then he got Jessica pregnant. Now, I guess I’m the one who is broken?”

That was startling, to say the least. Pulling back, Flynn took Lucy’s face in his hands and pleaded for her to hear him and believe him.

“Listen to me, Lucy. You are not broken. You’re not at fault, regardless of whether you can bear children or not. You are perfect, just the way you are, do you understand me?”

Tearing up a little, Lucy gave a nod.

“And, I am happy to adopt, if that is the path we should walk. Lucy, all I care about is you-you being happy; us being happy together, okay?”

And that got even more tears from her.

“If we want to adopt, well, an agency won’t really like seeing two cohabiting divorcees applying to adopt a child. It may not seem stable.”

“Okay. What are you saying, then?”

“I don’t know. I just can’t stop thinking. I mean, I know we wouldn’t do anything right now, but down the line we should consider what we want to do.”

“I agree. I mean, we both aren’t getting any younger,” he said with a soft smile.  “If you want to try to get pregnant, I am happy to help pay for a fertility specialist. I mean, I don’t advertise it, but I am not struggling financially, Lucy.”

“You’d do that?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“Lucy, I would do anything for you.”

As Lucy stared up at him, Flynn felt his chest flutter. _Did she really doubt him and his devotion to her?_ _He wanted to give her the world, couldn’t she see that?_

Suddenly, Henry’s cry cut through the kitchen. She smiled, wiped her eyes and popped up to kiss Flynn. Then she trotted off, saying something about Henry needing lunch.

Throughout the afternoon, they fed, changed and played with Henry. After they chased him around the house, they all settled down to watch The Lion King on the couch. Having dozed off, Flynn woke during the ending credits. As he came to, his arm was draped around a sleeping Lucy, as Henry sprawled out on top of both of them and napped. Flynn’s breath caught momentarily. He couldn’t help but see their future right in front of him. As Lucy began to stir, he tried to hide his awe.

“What?” she asked, as she blinked up at him.

“I was just thinking about how beautiful you are.”

Lucy smiled sheepishly and ducked her head.

“Seriously? I am covered in sweat and food and I don’t know what else. My hair is a mess and I-”

“Like I said, beautiful.”

Adjusting Henry in her arms, Lucy sat up and kissed Flynn on the lips.

“You look pretty dashing yourself, Garcia.”

“Oh, now you’re just flattering me.”

As the two of them nodded and teased one another, Amy’s voice cut through the moment. “Alright lovers. Can I have my son back?”

Lucy loved her nephew, she really and truly did.  What she didn’t love was the mess Henry left in his wake.  Garcia had been so good with Henry today, (not that he wasn’t before) and she got another chance to see up close and personal what he’d be like as a father.  She definitely wanted that with him (well, in the future at least).  Her fairy tale appeared to be within her grasp.  Part of her wanted to clamp onto him and never let go and the other part kept saying to slow her roll.  She needed to make sure this wasn’t some fling on his part, because she was more in love with him than ever.

Everything was better with Garcia.   _Everything._   He was always honest with her.  He respected her, listened to her attentively and loved her like no one ever had.  She had witnessed that look before in other couples, but never once had it been given to her: until now.  Now, she had a man that looked at her like she was the only woman in the entire world and it made her heart swell.  It was part of the reason she finally had had the guts to tell Wyatt she wanted a divorce.  Even though she hadn’t turned around, she sensed Garcia’s presence in the room.  He didn’t try to fight her battle for her or interject himself into their argument.  He just stood by and offered his silent support as usual.  She loved this man so much, but she was constantly worried she was going to screw this up somehow.  She had in every other aspect of her life so far.  That’s not exactly a healthy track record. 

She wanted to ask him to move in with her, but she wasn’t sure how he’d react.  She didn’t want it to seem like she was moving too fast, rushing him into something he didn’t want.  Today helped move things in the right direction though.  The fact that he offered to pay for fertility treatments and didn’t mind adopting was enough to tell her he wanted a future with her.  He hadn’t picked up on any of her other hints about moving towards marriage, but she was pushing her luck when she said it anyway.  She’s not even divorced yet.

Divorce.  Oh, her mother was going to love this one.  She’s already prepared for the hundred or so, “I told you so’s,” her mother will undoubtedly have to offer.  At least she seemed to like Garcia.  Amy did too and that counted for a great deal with Lucy.  Amy never really liked Wyatt from the beginning and begged her not to marry him.  Perhaps she should’ve listened to her little sister more often, especially when it came to the men in her life.    

Flynn snored softly next to her, his arms draped around her.  She loved the way he made her feel; so safe, so cherished.  _He_ was what gave her the strength to answer that phone and tell Wyatt off.  It felt fantastic!  There was one thing though, one little seed of doubt that grew in her brain, a seed Wyatt had planted.  She was thankful Garcia didn’t hear him when he said it to her, because she’s not sure she could have hidden her face.  The words echoed over and over again in her head.  “You really want to be wife number _three_?  How long until he finds wife number _four_?”  _Damn that stupid husband of hers!_  

She’s the type of person who gives everything to her partners and she knows that she would never be able to survive another failed marriage.  She’s tried to reason with herself.  She’s tried to remember there wouldn’t have been a wife number two for Garcia if Lorena hadn’t passed away.  That marriage hadn’t failed.  There was only one failure for each of them.  But, the words kept getting stuck.  _Wife number three._  

She turned over and stared at Garcia’s face as he slept peacefully.  _Three’s also a charm, Lucy._   She can just imagine him saying that to her if she were to mention it.  _Maybe it is, maybe it is._  

When she woke the next morning, Flynn’s arm was around her waist, her back snuggly tucked into his body.  She thought he was awake because he called her name, but when she turned her head, she saw he was still sound asleep.  He was dreaming of her. 

“Mmm, Lucy.  My Lucy,” he mumbled again, as he hugged her tightly.

He dreamt of _her!_   She’s never had a man dream of her in her entire life, as far as she knew anyway.  Wyatt certainly didn’t.  She did have to admit that the way he said, “my Lucy” made her wild with desire.  It wasn’t possessive at all, not like it would have been if Wyatt had said it.  Instead, it was soft and endearing, since she knew it was meant more as an affirmation of his adoration.  She leaned down and kissed his lips softly, then pulled back slightly.  His hand came up from her waist and cupped her cheek, as he pulled her back in for another kiss.  _She could so get used to this._

She wished she could stay like that all morning, but she had promised Jiya she would meet her for brunch.  So, she slipped out of his arms carefully and hopped into the shower.  When she finished showering, she tip-toed back out into the bedroom, but Flynn was already awake.

“Morning beautiful,” he beamed.

“Morning,” she answered, as she leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips.

“I really hope this doesn’t become a trend.”

“What?” Lucy asked with an air of panic to her voice.

“I’ve spent the past two nights here and each morning I’ve woken up alone.”

The ridiculous pout he wore when he said it reminded Lucy of a sad puppy.  It was too adorable to be ignored.  She crawled across the bed and purposefully dragged her body over his, as she grinded hard on him.

“Are you trying to tell me I’m neglecting you?” she asked, as she nipped his bottom lip playfully.

“Woefully.”

“Oh, woefully neglected, huh?  Well then…when I get back from brunch, I’ll have to do something about that, won’t I?” she questioned, as she ran her hands up and down his bare chest.

He rose up quickly, wrapped his arms around her and flipped her onto her back.  His lips ghosted over hers before he moved them down to her neck.

“I think you should skip brunch and tackle this head on right now.”

“ _Head_ on, huh?”

“Absolutely,” he answered, as he peeled the towel off of her.

“I’m going to be late.”

“But, it’ll be worth it, right?”

Jiya would kill her if she was late, but he wore down her defenses by the second.  Jiya was already suspicious about Lucy’s recent behavior and this would definitely not be helpful. 

“I have to go,” Lucy stated emphatically, as she pushed him off of her.

“Fine,” he huffed.

“I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”

She got up and dressed as quickly as she could, lest he distract her once again, then ran down the steps.

When she got to the restaurant, Jiya was already waiting.  She apologized profusely to her about being late, but Jiya just waved a hand at her. 

“Lucy, don’t take this the wrong way,” Jiya began, “but you look fabulous! What have you been doing?”

She had no clue how to answer that.  She’d technically been “doing” Flynn.

“Um, thinking about some of the life choices I’ve made and what I want to do now.”

“What do you mean what you want to do now?  You better spill.  You look happier than I’ve ever seen you, yet your husband is driving Rufus crazy.  Wyatt’s always crying, whining and complaining that he’s afraid he’s losing you.  I don’t get it.”

“Jiya, I’m gonna be honest with you.  I told Wyatt I want a divorce.”

“What! Really? That explains a lot about Wyatt, but it doesn’t explain anything about why you’re so happy.”

“Well, there’s…”

Jiya’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as she caught on to what Lucy was about to say.

“I-I met someone else.  Someone who treats me right, respects me and loves me for who I am.  I’m really, _really_ happy.”

“I can see that!” Jiya laughed.

Lucy took a sip of her mimosa.  She wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell her that the man she met was Flynn.  It’s not like she was ashamed of him or anything, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted everyone to know.

“Are you going to tell me the name of this mystery man?” Jiya asked with excited anticipation.

“Well…”

“Wait! Let me guess.  It’s that doctor, right?  What’s his name?  Noah!”

“Noah? No!  It’s Garcia,” Lucy corrected.

Jiya stared back at her like Lucy was still withholding information.

“Garcia?”

“Flynn,” Lucy clarified.

“ _Flynn_?  No way!” Jiya yelled a little too loudly.

Lucy blushed when her thoughts wandered back to this morning. 

“Why?  What’s wrong with Garcia?” Lucy questioned hesitantly.

“Nothing.  That’s an upgrade.  Good for you, Luce!” Jiya exclaimed, as she stole a strawberry from her plate.

“You’re not going to tell me how stupid I’m being for throwing my marriage away?”

“Hell no.  No offense, but I’ve always thought you could’ve done better.  Wyatt was an okay guy, but you deserve a great one.  Like Rufus, but not him obviously.”

“Obviously,” Lucy laughed, as she repaid the favor by stealing a blueberry from Jiya’s plate.

“Flynn’s a great guy.  I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.  I’m glad you both found each other.  But, isn’t Wyatt going to flip out about that?” Jiya asked with concern.

“Oh, he already knows.  He didn’t like it very much when the shoe was on the other foot.”

“Oh, I bet he didn’t.”

After brunch, the two of them did a little shopping.  Lucy and Jiya’s taste in clothes was about as different as their taste in men, but Lucy did manage to find a cute pair of black wedge sandals.  They were about to head to another store down the road, when Jiya stopped dead in her tracks at one of the windows.

“Lucy, we have to go in here.”

Lucy turned her head back and noticed that the store Jiya wanted to go into was a lingerie boutique. 

“I…”

There was no arguing with her.  Jiya grabbed Lucy’s wrist and yanked her into the store.  Lucy blushed, slightly embarrassed as this wasn’t something she generally shopped for with her friend.  Normally, if she bought lingerie, she’d generally just go by herself.  It wasn’t something Lucy did that often.  Wyatt had bought most of the other lingerie she had, although they were more presents for him than her. 

Jiya picked up a red, lace teddy and held it up to her chest.

“What do you think?”

Lucy felt awkward.  The teddy was definitely not something _she_ liked, but if Jiya liked it who was she to tell her no? 

“You’re making faces, Lucy.  That’s a no then,” Jiya stated, as she hung the teddy back on the rack. 

“I’m sorry.  It’s not my style, but if you like it-”

“Ooh, what about this one?” Jiya asked, as she held up a white, lace-up corset.

“I like that one better than the last,” Lucy answered.

“I’m going to try this one on.  Why don’t you look around and find something you can knock Flynn’s socks off with,” Jiya suggested.

Lucy nodded and wandered the store for a little while.  She had no idea what Flynn would like.  Would he prefer less fabric to more or prefer to leave a little to the imagination?  Not that he needed to use his imagination.  She’s pretty sure he could draw her body from memory at this point.  The amount of choices overwhelmed her and her anxiety increased with every second.

She walked back towards the fitting room where she’d left Jiya, when she saw it.  It was absolutely perfect (in her mind at least).  It was a light blue, plunge-front, satin babydoll with Chantilly lace accents.  She caressed the fabric between her fingers, as she vacillated about buying it. 

“Oh, Lucy, that’s gorgeous.”

Lucy turned her head to see Jiya a few feet from her. 

“You don’t think it’s too much?  I don’t know if Garcia will like this or not,” Lucy frowned.

“You’re joking, right?” Jiya asked her incredulously.

“No.  I’m not sure what he likes.”

“He’s a man with a pulse.  He’ll love it.  You’re buying it.  Let’s go,” Jiya instructed, as she shoved the babydoll into Lucy’s arms.

 


End file.
